Japanese author Sayaka Murata visited Bulgaria for the first time, participating in the Literary Talks Festival at Sofia’s City Stage from April 23–25. The discussion was moderated by Bulgarian literary critic Darin Tenev, with interpretation provided by Albena Todorova. Murata, recognized as a leading voice in contemporary Japanese literature, has seen her works, including Convenience Store Woman and Earthlings, translated into Bulgarian by Colibri Publishing House.
Her novel Shoumetsu sekai is a finalist for the Locus Award 2026 in the Translated Novel category, and her writing has appeared in over 30 languages. The conversation began with welcoming remarks from the Japanese Ambassador to Bulgaria, Chikahisa Sumi. Murata’s novels frequently examine the themes of homogeneity and uniformity in modern life.
She discussed her childhood experiences regarding individuality, noting her current interest in how the distortion of this concept can lead to authoritarianism. Participants also referenced George Orwell’s 1984, exploring the persistent exclusion within supposedly individualistic societies—a dynamic mirrored in Murata’s characters. These characters exhibit a quiet resistance by refusing full participation in existing systems, a refusal that Murata explores alongside inherent dangers, as seen in Sekai 99.
The discussion also addressed the intersection of traditional storytelling and modern dystopia. When questioned about literary taboos, Sayaka Murata stated that she feels no limitations in her subject matter, comparing her writing process to a laboratory where human elements assemble themselves. Concluding the event, she mentioned a personal habit of seeking out Albert Camus’s The Stranger in foreign bookstores.
The festival, themed “Dystopia and Resistance,” featured Murata alongside Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch, marking the tenth edition of the event.
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