Before the Coffee gets cold ~ Toshikazu Kawaguchi (106 of 2024)

Reread this book as part of the CBC discussion for the month.  

An easy read but contemplative, leaving you in tears. 

In "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, the story revolves around a small, somewhat magical café in Tokyo where patrons can travel back in time—under strict rules. The novel focuses on the relationships, emotions, and personal journeys of its characters. Here’s a list of the main characters and a brief description of each:

1. Fumiko Kiyokawa

Fumiko is a career-driven woman who regrets a decision that led to her boyfriend leaving for a job in the United States. She visits the café to travel back in time to try to change the course of their relationship. Her story is about missed opportunities and reconciling with the past.

2. Goro

Goro is Fumiko's boyfriend, who leaves Tokyo for a job opportunity in the United States. His relationship with Fumiko is central to her desire to travel back in time and try to fix what went wrong.

3. Kohtake

Kohtake is a nurse who wants to visit her husband in the past. She’s married to Fusagi, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and she seeks a way to connect with the man he was before the disease took over.

4. Fusagi

Fusagi is Kohtake's husband, a man suffering from Alzheimer’s. As his memories fade, their relationship changes, and Kohtake struggles with the loss of the man she knew. Fusagi’s condition is a heartbreaking aspect of the story.

5. Hirai

Hirai is a woman who runs a nearby snack bar and has distanced herself from her family, particularly her sister, Kumi. She harbors guilt over their estranged relationship and seeks to reconcile those feelings. Her story focuses on forgiveness and healing family bonds.

6. Kumi

Kumi is Hirai’s younger sister, who attempts to reconnect with Hirai despite their strained relationship. Kumi’s story is brief but impactful, and it pushes Hirai to confront her feelings about their past.

7. Kyoko

Kyoko is a pregnant woman who visits the café to travel to the future, seeking reassurance about how her unborn child will grow up. Her story is about maternal love and concern for the well-being of her child.

8. The Ghost Woman

This mysterious character sits in the café every day, occupying the one chair that allows time travel. She is bound by her own rules, and her presence plays an important role in the time-travel process. She is a quiet, eerie figure who adds a sense of magic to the café's atmosphere.

The novel doesn't provide a direct, detailed explanation of how the ghost woman came into existence. However, based on the narrative and hints within the story, there are some possible interpretations:

She may be a former customer of the café who once attempted time travel and, for reasons unknown, became "stuck" in the chair. This could imply that something went wrong during her time-traveling experience, and now she is trapped in some liminal state, existing between time periods. Her role as the permanent occupant of the chair suggests she has a deep connection to the chair's magical properties.

She could be a symbolic representation of the consequences of time travel. Since the book deals with themes of regret, loss, and the limits of changing the past, the ghost woman might represent someone who has been unable to move on from her own past. She could serve as a reminder to the café’s visitors about the importance of accepting the limitations of their journey through time.

The café's magic and its rules might have created her presence. The café's time-traveling ability operates under strict conditions and guidelines, and the ghost woman might be part of the magic that keeps the system functioning. Her existence could be tied to the café’s long history and the tradition of time travel, as she is always present to guard the chair.

Conclusion:

While it is generally accepted that the woman is a ghost, her precise origins and the nature of her existence are left ambiguous. This ambiguity adds to the magical and mysterious atmosphere of Funiculi Funicula. Her silent presence is a key part of the café’s aura, and while her backstory is never fully revealed, she plays an essential role in maintaining the balance and rules of the time-travel process in the café.

9. Kazu Tokita

Kazu is the waitress at the café and the key facilitator of the time-travel process. She helps patrons understand the rules and guides them through their journeys. She remains calm and composed, keeping the café’s traditions and magical elements intact.Kazu’s deep connection to the café's magical time-traveling chair that stands out. She seems to have an almost spiritual or protective relationship with the time-traveling process, ensuring that everyone respects the rules and makes the most of their brief visits to the past or future.

10. The Café Owners

There are brief mentions of the owners of the café, who have maintained the establishment's time-traveling capabilities. Their roles are more behind-the-scenes but are integral to the café's history and its mysterious powers.

Nagare Tokita

Nagare is the owner of Funiculi Funicula, a quiet and calm man with a strong, yet understated presence. He is Kazu Tokita’s uncle and takes a hands-off approach when it comes to running the café. He is aware of the café’s mysterious time-traveling abilities but leaves the handling of the time-traveling customers largely to Kazu, his niece. Nagare is a key figure in maintaining the traditions and secrets of the café.

Kei is a significant character in the story, particularly because of her own personal connection to the café's time-traveling abilities. She is a kind and cheerful woman, married to Nagare, and is expecting their child during the course of the novel. Kei has a heart condition, which makes her pregnancy risky, and she struggles with fears about her future and the health of her unborn child.

Kei’s desire to meet her future child leads her to use the café's time-traveling ability. Her story revolves around themes of maternal love, hope, and the uncertainties of life. Through her journey, the novel delves deeper into how the ability to see the future can bring comfort or closure, even in the face of difficult circumstances.

Each character in "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" has their own personal struggles, regrets, or desires that lead them to take advantage of the café’s time-traveling chair. Their interconnected stories revolve around the themes of love, loss, regret, and the importance of cherishing the present moment.

The story focuses more on the emotional journeys of the visitors rather than the origins of the café itself. However, Nagare and Kazu are the main figures overseeing the café and its operations during the timeline of the novel.