“Vibrant, Sleepless Nights in Budapest and Berlin” European Book Tour Travelogue by Kawakami Mieko

Central to the ongoing publishing boom enjoyed by Japanese literature around the world, especially among English readers, are the works of author Kawakami Mieko. Her titles have been translated into more than 40 languages and nominated for numerous literary awards, both at home and abroad.

In September 2025 Kawakami visited seven cities across five European countries on a lively book tour filled with events and opportunities to meet with readers in each location.

Learn more about Ms. Kawakami’s European Book Tour here.

In Budapest, Hungary, she appeared at a talk event ahead of the 2026 publication of the Hungarian edition of Breast and Eggs, meeting with publishing professionals and students studying Japanese literature.

In Germany, the country where Kawakami’s first work in translation—Das gelbe haus (Sisters in Yellow)—was published, she participated in the International Literature Festival Berlin. During her three-week stay she appeared at ten venues and gave 25 interviews, a schedule that underscores the high level of interest in her work.

Read Kawakami’s own reflections from the tour, translated for us from the Japanese by translator Sam Bett.

“Vibrant, Sleepless Nights in Budapest and Berlin” by Kawakami Mieko