Toshikazu Kawaguchi

In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café that has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.

From the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Tales from the Cafe comes another story of four new customers, each of whom is hoping to take advantage of Café Funiculi Funicula's time-travelling offer. Among some familiar faces from Kawaguchi's previous novels, readers will also be introduced to a daughter, a comedian, a sister, and a lover, each with something they wish they had said differently.

With his signature heartwarming characters and immersive storytelling, Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: what would you change if you could travel back in time?

A Novel

Before Your Memory Fades

思い出が消えないうちに

Aina

Things that you put off saying until tomorrow are sometimes never said.

Inside every person is an inherent capability to make it through any kind of difficulty. Everyone has that energy. But sometimes when that energy flows via our anxiety valve, the flow can be restricted. The greater the anxiety, the greater the strength needed to open the valve and release the energy.

People's true feelings are not in plain sight. The other person might not be thinking anything, but there is tendency to just assume what the other is feeling without searching out and asking.

‘Don't ever forget me until the end of ages.’

‘Because my love runs deeper than any grudge.’

Burnout syndrome is considered by some to be a type of depression. But while depression begins with stress or fatigue or a large shock like an accident or a loss, burnout syndrome originates with the thought that all of one's efforts were in vain. It strikes at a time when life is not turning out as expected, despite devotedly pouring one’s soul into a certain activity, usually one's work.

Your life didn't suddenly transform by itself, did it? None of your problems suddenly fixed themselves, did they? But you looked to the future and persevered. You have what you have today because you never gave up telling yourself that you had to be happy.

blue

Thing that you put off saying until tomorrow are sometimes never said.

People’s true feelings are not in plain sight. The other person might not be thinking anything, but there is a tendency to just assume what the other is feeling without reaching out and asking.

while pondering "to be or not to be" you're wasting away, and so much could go wrong (take hamlet for example)

Srijita Sarkar 

Something I strongly believe is that we mustn’t allow the death of a person to be the cause of unhappiness. The reason for that is simple: if we let everyone who dies be a cause for unhappiness, that would mean people are being born to become unhappy. But the opposite in fact is true. People are always born for the sake of happiness.

Valentina

Something I strongly believe is that we mustn't allow the death of a person to be the cause of unhappiness. The reason for that is simple: if we let everyone who dies be a cause for unhappiness, that would mean people are being born to become unhappy. But the opposite in fact is true. People are always born for the sake of happiess. 

🀢

Well, surviving alone is much the same as dying alone, don't you think?

The third novel in the international bestselling Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, following four new customers in a cafe where customers can travel back in time.In northern Japan, overlooking the spectacular view Hakodate Port has to offer, Cafe Donna Donna has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.From the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Tales from the Cafe comes another story of four new customers, each of whom is hoping to take advantage of the cafe's time-travelling offer. Among some familiar faces from Toshikazu Kawaguchi's previous novels, readers will also be introduced to:A daughter who couldn't say 'You're an idiot.'A comedian who couldn't ask 'Are you happy?'A younger sister who couldn't say 'Sorry.'A young man who couldn't say 'I like you.

Julia Rutgers

The colloquial term for wind-blown snow on a cloudless day is wind flowers. True to that description, the snowflakes fall like flower petals dancing in the wind. The window of the cafe offered a vivid and beautiful view of blue sky, and white snow on red autumn leaves.

Laura Dobie

Reiji was now realizing how important the ordinary life that we take for granted is and how much happiness can be experienced from having someone you care about by your side. 

'But what's really strange is the thought of dying is not so scary…’

That can't be true! VWhy are you crying then! 

She couldn't say it, though. In place of words, a flurry of tears poured from her eyes. 

‘Is just that I'm worried that you will forget how to smile when I die…’

Seemingly oblivious to how puzzled Nanako and Saki appeared, Sachi sat up straight and stated a reason that for them was unthinkable. 

“Well, surviving alone is much the same as dying alone, don't you think?"

在回忆消逝之前

Ingrid

人心隔肚皮，不管如何為對方著想，也無法任意揣測對方的心情。

沒有任何人理解自己的心情，到頭來我還是得自己一個人活下去。她將自己的心緊緊地封閉起來。

想回到過去的人都有不同的理由，那些理由是好是壞，沒有任何人有權力評斷，任憑個人自由。

因為，自己一個人活下來的話，就跟自己一個人死掉是一樣的啊！

Something I strong believe is that we mustn't allow the death of a person to be the cause of unhappiness. The reason for that is simple: if we let everyone who dies be a cause of unhappiness, that would mean people are born to become unhappy. But the opposite is in fact true. People are always born for the sake of happiness.

"If it was just a matter of travelling back to the past, anyone could do it. But this cafe chooses people...by its rules...and some people hear those rules and give up. But those people who are resolved to go back, despite the rules, have a reason for doing so. It doesn't matter what that reason is. If there is someone they must see, or someone they should see...even if the present reality won't change...then, that's all that matters."

"I get the sense that Reiko is hounded by the anxiety of death. Like she is struggling with not knowing when or understanding why people die."

Didn’t like it as much as the book before, but it flowed very nicely and I finished it in a day. Made me think of morality and making the most of your life

Rebecca Joy Tan

Another comforting read, although the theme being a little repetitive, with each sub plot, yet did shed a tear or two. The ending was bittersweet but aligned with the overall theme.

Not a huge fan of this book. Honestly, only the first book of the series has been good. However, there were parts that were thought provoking and emotional - specially parts where the characters answer the "one hundred questions" if the world were to end tomorrow. 

Natasha Mok

Kat Albanese

Even though I wanted to be consistent and give all the books in this series a 3.5 stars, I couldn't resist giving this one a higher rating. It had all the good elements the previous books had, but it also made me feel emotional at times, which warrants an extra 0.5 star. I was worried at first I wouldn't like the change in setting, but it was surprisingly fine and refreshing. 

a change of setting made this book feel refreshing when compared to the previous two but the whole time travel scenario does start to feel a little repetitive even though we get to know more characters who are connected to the main cast in one way or another

as i was about to finish i felt that this book didnt make me feel as emotional as the previous two until that last passing hit me hard

Lettuce Wrapped Cabbage Cat

a change of setting made this book feel refreshing when compared to the previous two but the whole time travel scenario does start to feel a little repetitive even though we get to know more characters who are connected to the main cast in one way or another

as i was about to finish i felt that this book didnt make me feel as emotional as the previous two until that last passing hit me hard

I loved it. I have no words right now. I’m devastated. (Also I love Sachi so much) 

Di sebuah lereng indah tak bernama di Hakodate, Hokkaido, berdiri Kafe Dona Dona yang menawarkan layanan istimewa kepada pengunjungnya: perjalananan melintasi waktu. Seperti di Funiculi Funicula yang ada di Tokyo, hal tersebut hanya dapat dilakukan jika berbagai peraturan yang merepotkan dipenuhi dan dengan secangkir kopi yang dituangkan oleh perempuan di keluarga Tokita. Mereka yang ingin memutar waktu adalah seorang wanita muda yang menyimpan dendam kepada orangtua yang menjadikannya yatim piatu kesepian, seorang komedian yang kehilangan tujuan hidup setelah berhasil mewujudkan impian mendiang istrinya, seorang adik yang khawatir kakaknya takkan bisa tersenyum lagi setelah kepergiannya, dan seorang pemuda yang tak mampu mengungkapkan cinta terpendam kepada sahabatnya. Mungkin perjalanan mereka hanya akan menyisakan kenangan. Namun, kehangatannya akan membekas dan barangkali, pada akhirnya, menumbuhkan tekad baru untuk menjalani hidupÉ

Funiculi Funicula#3: Dona Dona

- Pantes judulnya beda, karena emang nama dan letak cafenya berbeda, meski keajaibannya sama.
Cafe yg dikelola oleh Yukari ini kemudian dititipkan kepada anaknya, Nagare yg juga pernah mengelola cafe Funiculi Funicula di Tokyo.
Latar waktu bergulir di tahun 2030 dengan latar tempat di sebuah cafe dekat Pelabuhan Biru Hakodate (sampul buku ini sangat indah dan menggambarkan latar tempat di novel ini).
- Terdapat empat kisah didalamnya, yang seperti biasa, selalu menyentuh dan menghangatkan hati. Ada yg kembali ke masa lalu, ada juga yg datang dari masa depan.
1. Kisah Anak Perempuan yang Tidak Bisa Mengatakan "Dasar Menyebalkan".
2. Kisah Komedian yang Tidak Bisa Bertanya "Apa Kau Bahagia?"
3. Kisah Seorang Adik yang Tidak Bisa Mengatakan "Maaf"
4. Kisah Pemuda yang Tidak Bisa Mengatakan "Aku Suka Padamu"

- Menurutku, kalo ga baca buku pertama dan kedua, masih bisa ko mengikuti alur di buku ini. Karena latar belakang tokoh dan peraturan cafenya dijelaskan lagi dengan detil.
- Hantu penunggunya tetap ada, cmn beda bentuk dan kelihatannya ga terlalu ketus spt hantu di buku 1 dan 2. Latar belakang hantu ini blm dibahas, mungkin bakal dibahas di buku keempat (?)
- Dari buku ini aku belajar, meski gabisa mengubah kenyataan, dengan berani ambil resiko, setidaknya kita bisa mengubah perasaan. Nah perasaan2 itu yang meski sedikit, bisa mengubah hidup seseorang menjadi lebih baik lagi.
- Ada banyak hal yg masi bikin aku penasaran, selain Hantu penunggu, sosok Yukari juga ingin aku kenal lebih jauh.
Trus, ini kan latar waktunya 2030 ya, aku gapaham apa emang konsepnya begitu atau ada maksud lain, tentang pemakaian kartu pos, aku pikir udah ga jaman (?). Tapi di buku ini masih sering dipakai. Kupikir bisa diganti dengan email? Atau aplikasi lain yg lebih canggih.
- Tokoh yg paling aku suka tuh si Sachi!
Lucu banget kalo ngebayangin dia ada di dunia nyata. Anak umur 7 tahun, tapi rajin baca buku, sehari minimal bisa abis 2 buku berat dong. Mana dia kan yg bertugas jadi pramusaji utk melintasi waktu, rasanya doi ini bener2 spesial.
- Aku kepengen banget kisah2 ini entah buku 1/2/3 dibikin film. Keknya bagus yaa, magicalnya kerasa gitu, dengan visual yg lebih tegas.
- Aku rekomendasikan buku ini utk pembaca yg menginginkan bacaan ringan, menghangatkan hati, penuh keajaiban dan sarat makna. Empat kisah didalamnya bener2 bisa bikin kita bisa menghargai hidup, orang terdekat dan bersemangat dalam menyongsong masa depan.

Quotes fav : 
"Hati manusia memang tidak bisa ditebak. Ada kalanya manusia tidak bisa mengungkapkan perasaan karena secara sepihak menebak perasaan lawan bicara mereka, bahkan meskipun apa yang ada di hati si lawan bicara sebenarnya tidak seperti yang diduga."

"Manusia punya kekuatan untuk melalui kesulitan apapun. Setiap orang memiliki energi itu, tetapi terkadang menjadi terhambat oleh keran bernama kecemasan. Makin besar kecemasan itu, makin sedikit kekuatan untuk memutar keran tersebut.
Kekuatan itu dikuatkan oleh harapan. Kau juga bisa menyebutnya dengan kekuatan untuk memiliki keyakinan terhadap masa depan."

"Menurutku,  kematian tidak seharusnya menjadi alasan seseorang untuk tidak bahagia. Sebab, tak ada orang yang tak akan mati. Jika kematian adalah penyebab ketidakbahagiaan, berarti semua orang dilahirkan untuk tidak bahagia. Hal itu tidak benar. Setiap orang tentu dilahirkan demi kebahagiaan."

Dona Dona

- Pantes judulnya beda, karena emang nama dan letak cafenya berbeda, meski keajaibannya sama.
Cafe yg dikelola oleh Yukari ini kemudian dititipkan kepada anaknya, Nagare yg juga pernah mengelola cafe Funiculi Funicula di Tokyo.
Latar waktu bergulir di tahun 2030 dengan latar tempat di sebuah cafe dekat Pelabuhan Biru Hakodate (sampul buku ini sangat indah dan menggambarkan latar tempat di novel ini).
- Terdapat empat kisah didalamnya, yang seperti biasa, selalu menyentuh dan menghangatkan hati. Ada yg kembali ke masa lalu, ada juga yg datang dari masa depan.
1. Kisah Anak Perempuan yang Tidak Bisa Mengatakan "Dasar Menyebalkan".
2. Kisah Komedian yang Tidak Bisa Bertanya "Apa Kau Bahagia?"
3. Kisah Seorang Adik yang Tidak Bisa Mengatakan "Maaf"
4. Kisah Pemuda yang Tidak Bisa Mengatakan "Aku Suka Padamu"

- Menurutku, kalo ga baca buku pertama dan kedua, masih bisa ko mengikuti alur di buku ini. Karena latar belakang tokoh dan peraturan cafenya dijelaskan lagi dengan detil.
- Hantu penunggunya tetap ada, cmn beda bentuk dan kelihatannya ga terlalu ketus spt hantu di buku 1 dan 2. Latar belakang hantu ini blm dibahas, mungkin bakal dibahas di buku keempat (?)
- Dari buku ini aku belajar, meski gabisa mengubah kenyataan, dengan berani ambil resiko, setidaknya kita bisa mengubah perasaan. Nah perasaan2 itu yang meski sedikit, bisa mengubah hidup seseorang menjadi lebih baik lagi.
- Ada banyak hal yg masi bikin aku penasaran, selain Hantu penunggu, sosok Yukari juga ingin aku kenal lebih jauh.
Trus, ini kan latar waktunya 2030 ya, aku gapaham apa emang konsepnya begitu atau ada maksud lain, tentang pemakaian kartu pos, aku pikir udah ga jaman (?). Tapi di buku ini masih sering dipakai. Kupikir bisa diganti dengan email? Atau aplikasi lain yg lebih canggih.
- Tokoh yg paling aku suka tuh si Sachi!
Lucu banget kalo ngebayangin dia ada di dunia nyata. Anak umur 7 tahun, tapi rajin baca buku, sehari minimal bisa abis 2 buku berat dong. Mana dia kan yg bertugas jadi pramusaji utk melintasi waktu, rasanya doi ini bener2 spesial.
- Aku kepengen banget kisah2 ini entah buku 1/2/3 dibikin film. Keknya bagus yaa, magicalnya kerasa gitu, dengan visual yg lebih tegas.
- Aku rekomendasikan buku ini utk pembaca yg menginginkan bacaan ringan, menghangatkan hati, penuh keajaiban dan sarat makna. Empat kisah didalamnya bener2 bisa bikin kita bisa menghargai hidup, orang terdekat dan bersemangat dalam menyongsong masa depan.

Quotes fav : 
"Hati manusia memang tidak bisa ditebak. Ada kalanya manusia tidak bisa mengungkapkan perasaan karena secara sepihak menebak perasaan lawan bicara mereka, bahkan meskipun apa yang ada di hati si lawan bicara sebenarnya tidak seperti yang diduga."

"Manusia punya kekuatan untuk melalui kesulitan apapun. Setiap orang memiliki energi itu, tetapi terkadang menjadi terhambat oleh keran bernama kecemasan. Makin besar kecemasan itu, makin sedikit kekuatan untuk memutar keran tersebut.
Kekuatan itu dikuatkan oleh harapan. Kau juga bisa menyebutnya dengan kekuatan untuk memiliki keyakinan terhadap masa depan."

"Menurutku, kematian tidak seharusnya menjadi alasan seseorang untuk tidak bahagia. Sebab, tak ada orang yang tak akan mati. Jika kematian adalah penyebab ketidakbahagiaan, berarti semua orang dilahirkan untuk tidak bahagia. Hal itu tidak benar. Setiap orang tentu dilahirkan demi kebahagiaan."

This was my least favorite of the series so far, but still good. I just didn’t connect with the characters as much. Also the audiobook version…the way he does one of the character’s accent was a bit like nails on a chalkboard but that was probably a me issue lol. Overall I still really like the series and am looking forward to reading the next one! 

Coley T

repetitive and just a little boring… 🫣 I wish the author had elaborated more on the storyline than individual details. very heartwarming story though ☕️

mia ☕️

3.5... might be a me problem but i loved the other two books dearly. the characters did not connect with me on this one :(

the stories are sweet and touching, but so much like the first book. wish he would’ve switched it up even a little bit 

petrina

Kate

"Something I strongly believe is that we mustn't allow the death of a person to be the cause of unhappiness. The reason for that is simple: if we let everyone who dies be a cause for unhappiness, that would mean people are being born to become unhappy. But the opposite, in fact, is true. People are always born for the sake of happiness."

Okay. When I die, bury me with this book. 🥹

Bianca Boscaro

gostei mais dos outros mas esse ainda segue o mesmo padrão, histórias fofas e emocionantes e difíceis.

Tokijská kavárna Funiculi funicula není jediným podnikem v Japonsku, kde lze cestovat časem. V kavárně Dona dona ve městě Hakodate, kterou provozuje matka majitele tokijské kavárny Nagareho, je také možné vrátit se do minulosti nebo navštívit budoucnost. Pravidla tu platí stejná: do jiné doby můžete jen na tak dlouho, než vystydne káva. Ani tentokrát čtyři protagonisté realitu změnit nedokážou, mohou ale změnit svůj pohled na život – a tím i vlastní budoucnost. Příběh první Dcera, která nedokázala říct K čertu s vámi! Příběh druhý Komik, který se nedokázal zeptat Jsi šťastná? Příběh třetí Mladší sestra, která nedokázala říct Promiň. Příběh čtvrtý Mladík, který nedokázal říct Mám tě rád. Kdybyste se mohli vrátit do minulosti, s kým byste se chtěli setkat vy?

Než vzpomínky vyblednou

zase kouzelné a hezké. slabší než první díl (možná i než druhý, ale ten znám jen z převyprávění), něco tomu chybělo. i když nápad kavárny se stejným kouzlem a na jiném místě mi přijde moc super.

moc se mi líbí to propojení s ostatními díly, mé oblíbené pracovnictvo a stálé zákaznictvo kavárny, které už známe zas zažívá různé životní události na pozadí, zatímco se dozvídáme 4 příběhy různých lidí, kteří chtějí cestovat časem a změnit, ne sled události, ale jejich srdce. 

upřímně bych si tu knížku normálně nepřečetla, ale chceme v dramáku udělat divadelní hru o této kouzelné kavárně (byl to můj nápad, hihi), takže hledám jednotlivý příběhy, které bychom mohly*i ztvárnit

eve 

zase kouzelné a hezké. slabší než první díl (možná i než druhý, ale ten znám jen z převyprávění), něco tomu chybělo. i když nápad kavárny se stejným kouzlem a na jiném místě mi přijde moc super.

moc se mi líbí to propojení s ostatními díly, mé oblíbené pracovnictvo a stálé zákaznictvo kavárny, které už známe zas zažívá různé životní události na pozadí, zatímco se dozvídáme 4 příběhy různých lidí, kteří chtějí cestovat časem a změnit, ne sled události, ale jejich srdce. 

upřímně bych si tu knížku normálně nepřečetla, ale chceme v dramáku udělat divadelní hru o této kouzelné kavárně (byl to můj nápad, hihi), takže hledám jednotlivý příběhy, které bychom mohly*i ztvárnit

⋆｡°✩

A lot of the same old from the series, though this time the stories are set in a coffee shop in northern Japan. There is some link to the previous two but the new setting also gives an opportunity to freshen things up in a way and the book can be read as a standalone.

The book is still as sentimental as the previous installments but it is cosy; I am sure the recent cold and grey weather helped put me in the right mindset to be reading this. But there is also something very comforting in the series' acceptance of death as part of life.

My favourite incident in this one was "The Younger Sister". 

A lot of the same old from the series, though this time the stories are set in a coffee shop in northern Japan. There is some link to the previous two but the new setting also gives an opportunity to freshen things up in a way and the book can be read as a standalone.

The book is still as sentimental as the previous installments but it is cosy; I am sure the recent cold and grey weather helped put me in the right mindset to be reading this. But there is also something very comforting in the series' acceptance of death as part of life.

My favourite incident in this one was "The Younger Sister". 

Mia Caven

Coming soon! Before Your Memory Fades by Toshikazu Kawaguchi will be available Oct 11, 2022.

tori

I cried three times and enjoyed every moment. I hope there’s more to come for the series.

This book truly made my heart ache. I cannot get enough of these books ❤️

Zoe Kelly

Il primo caffè della giornata

Io continuo questa saga per amor (o ossessione) di completezza ma la trovo davvero troppo banale sia a livello di prosa che di contenuti. Non mi dispiace riflettere sulla vita anche in termini più semplici, però così sembra davvero troppo superficiale e buttato lì.

Certe scelte di stile di scrittura sono proprio un NO per me, come i vari "più tardi nella giornata...", penso si possa fare di meglio.

Francesca

Io continuo questa saga per amor (o ossessione) di completezza ma la trovo davvero troppo banale sia a livello di prosa che di contenuti. Non mi dispiace riflettere sulla vita anche in termini più semplici, però così sembra davvero troppo superficiale e buttato lì.

Certe scelte di stile di scrittura sono proprio un NO per me, come i vari "più tardi nella giornata...", penso si possa fare di meglio.

I really enjoy this series, and while the second book was a bit more repetitive, the third one appears a bit "refreshed" (still having some repetitive elements though), due to the new setting, while keeping the regulars. I am a bit devastated, having just finished the last story - I guess I just needed a happy end and am sad for not getting it. 

sina (she/her) 

Ofelia

Toshikazu Kawaguchi credo che tu abbia finito le idee per questa saga, ti consiglio di lasciare perdere

Before Your Memory Fades A Novel

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