Underground by Haruki Murakami

Underground by Haruki Murakami is a powerful work of investigative nonfiction that departs from his signature surrealism to confront a chilling real-world tragedy—the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack carried out by the Aum Shinrikyo cult.

In this deeply human and empathetic book, Murakami interviews victims, survivors, and former cult members, weaving together a nuanced and haunting portrait of a society grappling with trauma, fear, and disconnection. Rather than focusing on sensationalism, Murakami centers the quiet pain of everyday people whose lives were irrevocably changed by the attack.

Through these personal testimonies and his own reflections, Underground becomes more than a chronicle of violence; it is a meditation on modern Japan’s psyche, the cost of apathy, and the fragility of normal life. With clarity, compassion, and journalistic rigor, Murakami offers a rare and profound look at the intersection of individual lives and national tragedy.