At an October 2013 symposium held at the University of Hawaii, associate professor of Japanese Nobuko Ochner opined "there were many descriptions of traveling in a parallel world as well as characters who have some connection to shamanism" in Murakami's works.
Pada simposium pada Oktober 2013 yang dilakukan di Universitas Hawaii, asisten profesor Jepang Nobuko Ochner berpendapat "banyak sekali deskripsi perjalanan di dunia paralel sebagaimana karakter yang memiliki koneksi ke perdukunan" dalam tulisan-tulisan Murakami.