Since the modern era, Japanese literature has adopted new aspects of writing in response to Westernism. Some Japanese writers have manifested through their literary works this substitution of culture which, in addition to being simple external changes, has left deep internal conflicts of adaptation in society. For example, the short story “The Elephant Disappears” by Haruki Murakami, one of the most popular Japanese writers of the 21st century, depicts an alienated man obsessed with the disappearance of an old elephant and its guardian. Murakami gives the old elephant a symbolic meaning; its disappearance therefore seems to call into question the existence of the traditional way of life in Tokyo. Additionally, the author has a lot of Western influences in his writing style but he also inherited the mysticism of the Eastern world presented in his short story. Murakami, in addition to being Japan's most commercial and global writer, is unconsciously faithful to his traditional principles. Therefore, the story “The Elephant Disappears” contains magical elements of Japanese consciousness of modern society. The setting focuses on the conflict between tradition and modernity. The story takes place in a suburb of Tokyo, at a time when the Japanese economy was growing. Concretely, the old city zoo is sold to a developer to be replaced by the construction of a high-rise building. As a result, this new infrastructure in the city implies changes in the lifestyle of residents, as it attracts more businesses and people. Usually, smaller towns have more traditional lifestyles; however, with the construction of large buildings, residents would have to adapt to a more populated and commercial city....... middle of paper ...... personal pronouns as long as the text is understandable. This gives an impersonal aspect to Japanese literature which places great value on the effect and not the cause. In the Man'yoshu, the oldest Japanese anthology of poetry, there are examples of omission of the subject. As a result, “Since the heavens and the earth were separated…” (Shirane 89). Once again, the exclusion of the subject gives a feeling of spontaneity; to be more precise, things can emerge on their own. In another poem, “The Lament of Prince Kasukabe,” the author writes: “In the beginning of heaven and earth / on the shores of the celestial sky…” (Shirane 69). In this case, there is not a single word for the person responsible who created the heavens and the earth. Obviously, Murakami naturally uses his native language, which implies the Japanese characteristics of his literary works..