2026-10-01: Startschot | Japanese Book Club at the Japanese Garden

To kick off the new academic year, the City of Hasselt and the city’s three higher education institutions are joining forces for Startschot: 18 days of events and activities for students. One of the events on the programme is the Japanese Book Club at the Japanese Garden.

From Murakami to cats: discover Japanese literature

What makes Japanese literature so fascinating? Historian Sarah Vanbrabant takes you on a journey through Japan’s rich literary tradition. Starting with the bigger picture, she introduces both classic and contemporary Japanese literature before taking a closer look at authors such as Shusaku Endo, Kobo Abe, Banana Yoshimoto and Haruki Murakami.

And, of course, there will be cats. They appear surprisingly often in recent Japanese fiction — and they are usually much more than just pets.

This accessible talk is perfect for anyone with an interest in books, culture and Japan. Japanese snacks will be served too.

Practical information

• Tuesday 6 October 2026
• Starts at 7.30 p.m. (doors open at 6.45 p.m.)
• Japanese Garden, Gouverneur Verwilghensingel 15, Hasselt
• Free admission, including a Japanese snack

Want to join us? Email japansetuin@hasselt.be with your name and the number of people attending.