Published October 12, 2026
Harry Styles and Haruki Murakami share an unexpected friendship, after they bonded over their mutual love for running and the Japanese novelist shared rare insights about his friend in a new interview.
The Norwegian Wood author told the interviewer that the One Direction alum flew out to to meet him on holiday in Hawaii, saying, “We talked about running mostly.”
Murakami continued, “He has read many of my books and I’m very proud about it. He’s a very intelligent person, quiet and intelligent. I saw his Manchester concert video, and he’s very talkative on the stage, but in private life he’s very quiet.”
The award-winning novelist noted that Styles "has read many of my books, I went to one of his concerts in Manchester, and recently he sent me his latest album with a dedication written in Japanese. We met thanks to running, our shared passion.”
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Following the publication of the interview, fans took to X and wrote, "haruki calling harry quiet and intelligent is the most validation a man can get honestly."
Another added, "harry doing his best to write a dedication in japanese to haruki murakami," and "i’m gonna cry he’s so thoughtful."
One more gushed, "no because harry practising japanese to be able to write a personal message is so endearing and thoughtful i need a moment."
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