Literature · Scholarship · Living
Born: 12 January 1949 · Age: 77
Haruki Murakami is 77 years old as of October 2026. He was born on 12 January 1949.
Japanese novelist of Norwegian Wood, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka on the Shore, known for dreamlike, surreal fiction
Did you know?He is a dedicated long-distance runner who has completed many marathons and written a book about the sport.
Haruki Murakami writes dreamlike novels that feel strangely real. Before becoming a writer he ran a jazz bar in Tokyo. He decided to write while watching a baseball game. Lonely heroes, cats, wells and jazz fill his books. Norwegian Wood made him a star in Japan. Kafka on the Shore and 1Q84 won him worldwide fame. He is also a keen marathon runner.
Haruki Murakami (村上 春樹, Murakami Haruki; born January 12, 1949) is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan.
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Profile
Japanese novelist, born 1949
Haruki Murakami was born in Kyoto on 12 January 1949.
He ran a jazz bar in Tokyo before writing.
Norwegian Wood (1987) made him famous.
His novels include Kafka on the Shore and 1Q84.
Career highlights
Did you know?He decided to write a novel while watching a baseball game in 1978.
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Last reviewed: October 2026