The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Kawaguchi, Toshikazu. Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Hanover Square Press, 2020.

Before the Coffee gets Cold is a novel, but it is essentially comprised of four distinct stories. Each story takes place in a café in Tokyo called Funiculi Funicula. The café has been operational since 1874, and it is rumored that the café has the ability to let people time travel. One day, a woman named Fumiko goes there to have coffee with her boyfriend, Goro. They are coworkers, and Fumiko loves Goro very much. However, Goro says that they need to break up, as he has been offered his dream job in the United States.

A week later, Fumiko returns to the café, remembering the legend about it giving people the ability to time travel. A waitress says that the legend is true, but that for some reason it is impossible to change the present by taking different actions in the past. Fumiko decides to travel back in time anyway, if only to express her love to Goro. Fumiko travels back to that last conversation, and she speaks her mind more openly this time. Goro confesses that he was always insecure in their relationship, as Fumiko is very attractive, and Goro believes she deserves someone more handsome. Fumiko protests that she loves Goro with all of her heart. Fumiko returns to the present, and she hopes that, even though she cannot alter the present, Goro might now reconsider his decision and come back to her, thereby altering the future.

The next story follows a woman named Kohtake, who is in late middle age, and who is married to a man named Fusagi. Three years ago, Fusagi was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, which has slowly erased his memories. Recently, he lost all memory of Kohtake. Kohtake is sad but is resolved to essentially function as his nurse. When Kohtake learns that Fusagi wrote a letter that he meant to give to her, she decides to travel back in time to get it. She travels back three years, which is when Fusagi was diagnosed, and when he supposedly wrote the letter. Kohtake speaks to past-Fusagi and acquires the letter from him. The letter expresses Fusagi’s desire that, if his illness causes him to forget Kohtake, she should not feel obligated to stay with him as a nurse. Fusagi is moved by the letter, and she ultimately decides to stay by Fusagi’s side, even if he does not recognize/remember her anymore.

The next story follows a woman named Hirai, who owns a bar located near the café. Her parents wanted her to help take over operations of the inn that they own, but Hirai wanted to live and work independently. Ever since Hirai moved away from her parents, she has been estranged from them. Occasionally, her sister Kumi visits her and tries to persuade her to come back, but Hirai simply avoids Kumi. One day, while driving to visit Hirai, Kumi dies in a car accident. Hiari decides to go back in time to see Kumi one more time, and to apologize for not being more present in her life. While speaking to past-Kumi, Hirai promises to help their parents with the inn. After returning to the present, Hirai keeps her promise. She returns to her parents, helps them run the inn, and repairs her relationship with them.

The final story follows a woman named Kei. She is married to Nagare, the man who owns the café. Kei has a life-threatening medical condition that prevents her from doing any vigorous exercise. Despite her condition, she always has a positive attitude. One day, she becomes pregnant, and the doctors say that there is a chance that she will die in childbirth. Kei decides to have the baby, and her only fear is that, if Kei dies, she will never be able to see/meet the baby. Kei decides to use the café to travel forward in time. She does so, and she meets her daughter, Miki, when Miki is 15 years old. Kei and Miki are both deeply grateful for the chance to meet each other. Kei returns to the present, and even though she now knows for certain that she will die in childbirth, she is happy. This final chapter also reveals that Goro did in fact return to japan to resume his relationship with Fumiko.