Summary
Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a captivating novel by Japanese author Toshikazu Kawaguchi that has taken the literary world by storm. Originally published in 2015, this international bestseller has sold over one million copies and has been translated into multiple languages. The story, which began as a play in 2010, revolves around a unique café in Tokyo that offers its patrons the extraordinary opportunity to travel through time.
At its core, the novel explores the profound question: “What would you change if you could go back in time?” Kawaguchi weaves together the tales of four customers who visit the café, each hoping to alter their past or glimpse their future. However, time travel comes with strict rules, the most crucial being that the journey can only last as long as it takes for the coffee to get cold.
The book's popularity has led to several adaptations, with the most notable being the 2018 Japanese film “Cafe Funiculi Funicula,” starring Kasumi Arimura. Plans for a television series adaptation were announced in October 2021, further cementing the novel's place in popular culture. Kawaguchi has also penned multiple sequels, expanding the universe of this enchanting tale.
Plot
In a small Tokyo café called Funiculi Funicula, customers have the extraordinary opportunity to travel through time. However, this unique experience comes with strict rules. Visitors can only use one specific seat, must remain seated during their journey, and most crucially, must return before their coffee turns cold—typically within an hour.
The novel follows four customers who seek to utilize this time-traveling service. Fumiko, a businesswoman, attempts to mend her relationship with her boyfriend who left for a job in the United States. Kohtake, a nurse, searches for a letter written by her husband, who now suffers from Alzheimer's disease.
The third customer, Hirai, a bar owner, tries to reconnect with her estranged sister. Finally, Kei, one of the café's co-owners, wishes to travel to the future to speak with her unborn daughter. Throughout these journeys, the café's staff, particularly the barista Kazu, play a supporting role in the unfolding stories.
Despite the allure of changing the past, the café's time travel comes with a significant caveat: no matter what occurs during these trips, the present remains unaltered. The characters must grapple with this limitation as they navigate their emotional quests, learning that while the past is immutable, the future remains open to possibility.
