According to Mr. Kuma, Mr. Murakami’s novels allure him “to fall out of my everyday life, through a cave mouth, and into another world.” This experience is expressed through the architecture. Passing through the facade that resembles a cave mouth, visitors are greeted by a stair bookshelf in the atrium connecting the second floor all the way down to the basement. The space makes you feel like you are falling into the world of Mr. Murakami’s novels.

The library’s book collection, including those displayed on the bookshelf, consists of works by Mr. Murakami and books selected by book director Yoshitaka Haba with a focus on “Murakami’s works and their nodes” and “world literary works to be passed on from the present to the future.” Books selected by guest selectors, such as Mieko Kawakami and Hideo Furukawa, are also displayed on the shelf.

According to Masaki Nishio, in charge of the library’s public relations, the book designs of the translated editions are managed by local publishers, and in the early days, the designs were unrelated to the content, sometimes depicting the Japanese flag or Asian women. In addition, there were some alterations to the text, such as deletions and reordering, to improve the readability for local readers. However, as the popularity of the novelist’s works built up, the designs shifted to those that expressed the content, and the translations became faithful to the originals. Today, Mr. Murakami’s books are translated into about 50 languages.

The beautiful and sophisticated designs provide a glimpse into the path of Mr. Murakami, who encouraged international literary exchange between Japan and other countries, as well as the development of Japanese literature.

Mr. Murakami loves music so much that he opened a jazz café, Peter Cat, when he was a student. The audio room on the same floor is a luxurious space for listening to jazz and classical records while reading. The record player and speakers are his favorite types of equipment, and the records are from his old collection, which he used to always listen to. Those that used to be played at his café have his handwritten marks and signatures.

The International House of Literature is filled with art that shapes “Haruki Murakami.”

The library is focused on promoting interactions through literature and music. Mr. Murakami himself plans and sometimes appears in events such as a book reading event series by authors, "Authors Alive! ~Meet the Author~", and "Campus Live". Many authors and artists, including Yoko Ogawa, Sayaka Murata, Naoki Matayoshi, and guitarist Kaori Muraji, have made guest appearances.

The first basement floor features Author’s Study, a faithful reproduction of the atmosphere of "Mr. Murakami’s study", a café, and a space for interaction.
"Author’s Study" is also adorned with items that reveal the novelist’s interests. The computer, printer, and audio equipment in the room are the same as the ones he uses.

Café Orange Cat is popular among international students and overseas visitors for its open atmosphere. Just as Mr. Murakami got married and opened the jazz café Peter Cat while still in school, this café is run by current Waseda University students.

“The library has many things to see that Murakami fans will recognize immediately. Besides, it is a nice, quiet place to read books,” says Mr. Nishio. When the library first opened in 2021, the majority of victors were fans, but recently, more and more students use it, making the facility a place for interactions among visitors from Japan and abroad and students.

The International House of Literature was born out of an encounter between Mr. Murakami and Mr. Kuma. The facility is imbued with the essence of various artistic fields, such as literature, music, illustration, and architecture, especially of creators in different fields with whom Mr. Murakami has directly communicated. With events and seasonal special exhibitions in the second-floor event space, the library is expected to become known also as the cultural center.