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The Prologue
Kafka prepares for his departure from this home in Tokyo as he finds old photos of his mother and sister. With no recollection of them, Kafka is filled with more questions to answer. -
The Departure
Kafka prepares all of his belongings and talks about the things he has done to prepare for this occasion. He isolated himself from his peers, distanced himself from his father, and maintained his own physique. He prepares to leave to Takamtsu, in Shikoku, Western Japan while facing a bad omen. -
The Arrival
Kafka meets a girl named Sakura while on his way to Takamatsu who argues that all chance encounters have a meaning. While Kafka believes Sakura might be his long lost older sister, he feels strongly attached to her. Sakura gives Kafka her phone number and Kafka leaves to find a hotel to stay at. -
Settling Down
Kafka arrives at a hotel and manages to settle down at a discounted rate. Then, he explores the area stumbling upon the Komura Memorial Library where he spends most of his time reading. Kafka becomes close with the librarian named Oshima while also meeting Miss Saeki who runs the library. -
The Dual Narrative
At this point, the story shifts to tell a dual narrative from the perspective of Nakata who is an old disabled man capable of communicating with cats. Nakata is searching for a cat named Goma while Kafka gets into a set routine of visiting the library, reading, and returning back to the hotel. -
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The Search Continues
Nakata continues to search for the lost cat while Kafka continues his daily routine. Throughout this period of time, Kafka becomes used to this new life that he has made for himself. Yet, he cannot help but think about what could happen if the authorities find out he has escaped. -
The Incident
Kafka wakes up in a frenzy without any memory about what happened to him in the last few hours. Without a choice, Kafka calls Sakura and sleeps in her apartment for the night. Nakata finds a lead on his missing cat which leads him to a man named Johnnie Walker who has been catching cats and torturing them. In a fit of rage, Nakata stabs Johnnie Walker to save the cats. -
Clear the Mind
Kafka has to avoid any exposure to protect the authorities from chasing him down to question him about his father's death. Therefore, Kafka sleeps in Oshima's cabin in the woods while Nakata decides to leave Tokyo. While Nakata faces several difficulties, he meets Hoshino who willingly helps Nakata out. -
A Hidden Path
Kafka discovers the clearing that Oshima warned Kafka not to enter. Meanwhile, Nakata and Hoshino reach Tokushima by car and become closer together. This is also when Kafka's father is found dead and turns out to be the Johnnie Walker that Nakata killed. -
A Deep Sleep
Kafka continues to spend another day at the cabin reading some of the books on the shelf to pass time. Meanwhile, Nakata falls into a deep sleep leaving Hoshino alone to wonder around the place and wait for him to wake up. -
Two Stories Converge
Oshima brings Kafka back to the library from the cabin and tells him that he can stay in a room upstairs in the library. Nakata finally wakes up from his deep sleep and Hoshino takes him to Takamatsu where Kafka is staying. -
Unexpected Guests
Kafka begins to work at the library in return for Oshima letting him stay at the library. As Kafka gets used to the job, an altercation with some customers lead to Oshima revealing that he is a gay transgender man. At night, Kafka sees a ghost of a young Miss Saeki making him more fascinated with her. -
Past and Future
Kafka receives the record of the song "Kafka on the Shore" from Oshima to learn more about Miss Saeki's past. Kafka sees the ghost of Miss Saeki again that night feeling some kind of attraction. Nakata and Hoshino find the entrance stone which is exactly what Nakata was finding. -
The Lightning Storm
Nakata and Hoshino are able to open the entrance stone by successfully flipping the stone over causing a large lightning storm to occur. Kafka receives the music to "Kafka on the Shore" and talks with Miss Saeki to learn more about her past life. -
The Calm Before the Storm
Detectives in the region come to the library and ask Oshima about the whereabouts of Kafka and Oshima deflects the question. While still asleep, Miss Saeki enters Kafka's room at night and proceeds to sleep with him reflecting back to the bad omen in the beginning of the book. Nakata goes into a deep sleep again leaving Hoshino confused. -
Mysterious Clues
Kafka ends up sleeping with the real Miss Saeki while she is fully awake. Nakata and Hoshino meet a mysterious man named Colonel Sanders who can help them find what they are looking for. -
A Lead with no Success
Kafka and Miss Saeki continue their intimate relationship almost as if Miss Saeki is stuck in the past still thinking about her dead boyfriend. It has been 10 days since the murder and 3 weeks since Kafka arrived in Shikoku and started this new life. Nakata and Hoshino with the help of Colonel Sanders search the first half of the city with a rental car with no success. -
Two Paths Meet
After realizing how troubling the relationship with Miss Saeki was, Kafka decides to go and stay at Oshima's cabin at Miss Saeki's request. After searching all over the city, Nakata and Hoshino find the sign for the Komura Memorial Library in the evening. -
Tragedy and Chaos
Hoshino has been following Nakata for 10 days now and has become attached to him seeing him like a father figure that he never had. Once they arrive at the library, Nakata meets Miss Saeki who dies at 4:35 shortly after giving Nakata her memoir. Kafka dreams about Sakura at the cabin and longs to find meaning in all this mess. -
The Storm Rages
Kafka decides to venture deep into the woods behind the cabin that Oshima warns him not to. At some point, he stumbles upon a town that seems to be within another dimension where time works differently than the outside world. After burning the memoirs of Miss Saeki, Nakata soon dies leaving Hoshino all alone in the dark having to solve this problem. -
Loss and Grief
While in this town in another dimension, Kafka talks with a version of Miss Saeki that is still alive who convinces Kafka that he needs to move on and get out of this town. Kafka decides to leave the town with the help of the soldiers and returns to the cabin. Hoshino learns that he can now talk to cats inheriting Nakata's ability. -
The End of the Beginning
Hoshino is confronted with a white blob monster in the early morning which he successfully kills and burns the remains of. He successfully closes the entrance stone and returns balance to the world. Kafka returns to Takamatsu and departs for Tokyo learning the importance of forgiveness and healing even when you feel completely alienated from the real world.