The novel opens with 37-year-old Toru Watanabe on a plane, descending through the clouds to a rain-drenched Hamburg. As the plane lands, music comes on the speakers, and Watanabe immediately recognizes an orchestral rendition of the Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood.” The song overwhelms Watanabe with memories, and he is forced to place his head in his hands, prompting the German flight attendant to ask if he feels ill. He insists he is just dizzy, but as the plane arrives at the gate and other passengers start to get off, he remains frozen, lost in a memory that takes him back to the fall of 1969.

Watanabe is remembering a walk in a meadow with a girl named Naoko. Although the moment occurred 18 years ago, he remembers the landscape vividly. Reflecting on what a “funny thing” memory is, Watanabe notes that he barely noticed the meadow at the time; all his attention was on the beautiful Naoko. However, now, he recalls “every detail” of the field, while it takes him longer to summon an image of Naoko’s face. He admits to the “sad truth” that these memories are becoming more distant and explains he is writing a book to understand his past better.