“If you could return to one moment in your past, who would you visit?”

That’s the premise of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, a Japanese novel I recently read (in the original). The story takes place in a tiny café where time travel is technically possible… but only under a set of oddly specific rules.

You can’t change the past. You can’t leave your seat. And you have to finish your trip before your coffee gets cold.

Quirky setup aside, this book is less sci-fi and more of an emotional gut punch told through four short stories.

The Book in 3 Sentences

• Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a heartwarming novel set in a mysterious café called Funiculi Funicula, where customers can travel back in time — but only under a strict set of rules.
• Even though the past cannot be changed, the people who return are able to bring back something more important: a change in their own hearts.
• Through four touching stories — of lovers, a married couple, sisters, and a mother and child — the novel gently explores regret, connection, and the quiet miracles that come from saying what was once left unsaid.

Impressions

How Did I Discover It?

A friend of mine, whom I happily reconnected with during the high school reunion weekend in the US, recommended this book to me. She mentioned that she really enjoyed reading the English version.

Who Should Read It?

I’d recommend Before the Coffee Gets Cold to:

• Fans of heartwarming, emotional stories about relationships and family
• Readers who enjoy bittersweet tales with themes of regret and healing
• Those who appreciate magical realism grounded in everyday life
• People who like reflective, thoughtful narratives about second chances
• Anyone looking for a cozy, feel-good read with a touch of mystery

How the Book Changed Me

1. Treasure the present to live without regret.

The story reminded me how important it is to live fully in the present moment. Since we cannot change the past, we should face our current reality with intention and sincerity, making choices now that we won’t regret later.

2. It’s okay to be vulnerable — our emotions are valid.

Although some of the lines felt a little scripted, the writing overall was sincere and emotionally honest. It beautifully captured the quiet longing we feel for people we can no longer meet, and the difficulty of expressing our true feelings — something we all experience but often hesitate to admit.

3. Gratitude is the deepest expression of love.

The characters who traveled back in time didn’t try to rewrite history; instead, they simply said “thank you.” Even with so much they wanted to say, in the end, they chose gratitude. It made me realize that no matter how awkward or difficult it feels, I want to express my appreciation more often to the people who matter to me.

My Top 3 Quotes

• “As time went by, the weight of what she had lost grew heavier, and Fumiko found herself no longer able to find out what Goro was really feeling.”（時間を重ねるごとに、失うものの大きさを実感し、二美子は五郎の気持ちを確認する事ができなくなっていった。）
• “The death of Kei’s father, Michinori, cast a dark shadow over her heart. Experiencing death for the first time, Kei described it as ‘a pitch-black box’ — a box that, once shut, could never be opened again. Her father was trapped inside it, in a place where she could see no one, a place of sorrow and loneliness. Thinking of her father kept Kei awake at night, and gradually, her smile disappeared. In contrast, her mother, Tomako, responded in the opposite way. She spent her days smiling. It wasn’t because she was especially optimistic by nature. Michinori and Tomako had been an ordinary married couple. Tomako cried at the funeral, but ever since then, she hadn’t shown a single gloomy expression. In fact, she smiled even more than before. At the time, Kei couldn’t understand her mother’s smile. She confronted her, asking, “Dad’s gone — how can you still smile? Aren’t you sad?” Tomako fully understood how Kei viewed death — as a pitch-black box — and gently replied: “Well, if your father were watching us from inside that dark box… what do you think he’d feel?” (…) Only now, much later, did Kei finally come to understand her father’s pain. The frustration of having to leave behind his family tightened around Kei’s heart. It was only through recognizing that pain that Kei also came to truly understand the depth of her mother’s words. She realized — her mother couldn’t have said those words unless she had deeply shared in her father’s sorrow.”（父、道則の死は計の心に暗い影を落とした。 初めて体験する「死」を、計は「真っ暗な箱」と表現した。一度、閉じ込められると二度と出る事のできない箱。父はそこに閉じ込められている。誰にも会えない、つらく、さみしい場所。父の事を考えると、計は夜も眠れなくなってしまった。次第に、計からは笑顔が消えていく。 一方で母の十麻子はというと、計とは逆の反応を見せた。つまり、終始、笑顔で過ごしている。もともと、特別な楽天家だったというわけではない。道則も、十麻子もごく普通の夫婦である。十麻子も葬儀では涙を流したが、葬儀以降、暗い顔を見せた事は一度もなく、以前にも増して笑顔を見せる事が多くなった。 当時の計には母親の笑顔が理解できなかった。計は、父の死を悲しまない母に「お父さんがいなくなったのに、なんで笑顔でいられるの？ 悲しくないの？」と問いただした。 十麻子は計が「死」を「真っ暗な箱」と表現している事もちゃんと理解したうえで、こう答えた。 「じゃ、その真っ暗な箱の中からお父さんが私達を見ていたとしたら、どう思うかしら？」（中略）計は、今になって初めて父の苦悩を理解した。家族を残して死なねばならなかった父、道則の無念が計の心を締め付ける。そんな父の想いを知って初めて、計は母の言葉の偉大さを理解した。本当に、父の心に寄り添わなければ、言えない言葉だと思った。）
• “It had always been something of a gamble — if luck was on your side, you might be able to meet. That was all it ever was. Kei understood that. If meeting someone in the future were truly easy, then everyone would do it. Take, for example, Fumiko Kiyokawa. If she and Goro had simply promised to meet here three years later, there would be no reason they couldn’t. As long as Goro kept his promise to come to this café. But there are countless reasons why someone might not be able to keep a promise. If you’re traveling by car, there could be traffic. Even on foot, there might be road construction, someone could stop you to ask for directions, or you might simply get lost. You could be caught in a sudden downpour or other natural disaster. You might oversleep or mix up the time of the meeting. The future is unpredictable — that’s just how it is.”（もともと、賭けのようなものだった。運が良ければ会える、その程度だった。計もわかっていたのだ。簡単に会えるのであれば、誰もが未来に行くはずである。たとえば、清川二美子にしても、三年後、ここで会う事を約束さえすれば、会えない事はない。五郎が「この喫茶店に来る」という約束さえ守れれば、である。約束を守れない理由はたくさんある。車で移動なら渋滞、徒歩だとしても道路工事や、道を尋ねられたり、迷ったり。豪雨などの自然災害にあうかもしれない。寝坊や、約束の時間を間違える事だってある。とにかく未来はわからない。）

Before the Coffee Gets Cold doesn’t try to blow your mind — it quietly nudges your heart.

It’s about missed chances, the things we wish we’d said, and how much one honest moment can matter — even if nothing changes.

I might pick up the English version next, just to see how some of those quiet emotional beats translate. Maybe with a cup of coffee on the side.