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European Book Tour by Author Kawakami Mieko

#Author Event#JF Budapest

The Japan Foundation (JF) is delighted to announce engagements planned in Hungary and Germany as part of author Kawakami Mieko’s forthcoming European book tour in September 2025. In Budapest, Kawakami will appear in talk events and meet with people in the publishing industry, organized by JF Budapest. In Berlin, she will participate in the Internationales Literatur Festival Berlin.

Kawakami’s Budapest engagements will center on the forthcoming Hungarian translation, by Ingrid Mayer, of Natsu monogatari (originally published by Bunshun and translated into English as Breasts and Eggs). Slated for publication by the Park imprint in 2026, the Hungarian edition was realized with partial funding from our FY2025 Support Program for Translation and Publication. At JF Budapest, Kawakami will participate in a panel discussion and live reading, and will meet with university students engaged in Japan Studies.

In Berlin, Kawakami will deliver a talk on Kiiroi ie (Sisters in Yellow, lit. Yellow House), originally published by Chuokoron Shinsha and now appearing in translation for the first time in a German edition by Natsu monogatari translator Katja Busson through the Outlook imprint. Kawakami will fulfill other author engagements in Italy, Austria, and Switzerland on this tour.

Photo of Kawakami Mieko

Photo: Reiko Toyama

Main Author Events in Budapest

Book Club Gathering

Kawakami will meet with members of a book club to discuss Subete mayonaka no koibitotachi (All Midnight Lovers; Kodansha), which was translated into Hungarian by Ingrid Mayer and released by the Park imprint in 2024. Held at a café, this will be an informal opportunity for the author to engage directly with her readers and fans of Japanese literature.

Panel Discussion on Subete mayonaka no koibitotachi and Natsu monogatari (Breasts and Eggs)

Ahead of the forthcoming Hungarian edition slated for release in 2026, Park imprint editor Tönkő Vera will moderate a conversation between Kawakami and Ingrid Mayer, translator of both titles, with a live reading delivered by actress Kurta Niké.

Author Event with University Students

Translator Ingrid Mayer will moderate an informal gathering between Kawakami and students of Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary who are involved in Japan Studies and share an interest in Japanese literature.

Main Author Events in Berlin

Author Event for Kiiroi ie (Das gelbe haus, lit. Yellow House)

Journalist Miriam Zeh will moderate a presentation by Kawakami and a live reading by actress Marie Bloching marking the forthcoming release of the first translated edition of Kiiroi ie.
See here for details.

Author Event for Kiiroi ie (Das gelbe haus, lit. Yellow House)

Viktoria Feldhaus will moderate a presentation by Kawakami and a live reading by actress Kristin Alia Hunold in this event for teenagers in grades 10–12, scheduled as part of the Young Program at the Internationales Literatur Festival. A key objective is to introduce young readers to exceptional and courageous perspectives found in literature. A question-and-answer session will invite their active participation.
See here for details.