Set in an alternative version of Toyko in 1984, the story follows two long-lost lovers, Aomae and Tengo, as they each become involved with a deadly cult called the Sakigate. Murakami uses the novel to explore the real-life cult phenomenon that affected Japan in the 1970s and 1980s. 1Q84's plot is built around a mystical cult and two long-lost lovers who are drawn into a distorted version of reality.