The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko K..., Yuta Takahashi
The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko K..., Yuta Takahashi
List: $15.00 | Sale: $10.50
Club: $7.50

The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen
The beloved Japanese bestseller about a magical restaurant that will nourish your soul

Author: Yuta Takahashi, Cat Anderson

Narrator: Hanako Footman

Unabridged: 4 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 02/04/2025

Synopsis

*NOW ALSO AVAILABLE! The second book the series: The Calico Cat at the Chibineko Kitchen*

“Wonderful . . . A cozy, emotional gem . . . Each chapter is a quiet, healing moment, filled with food, memory and the comfort of cats.” —The Seattle Times

Your table awaits at the Chibineko Kitchen, where a soul-nourishing meal in the company of the resident kitten will transport you back in time to reunite with departed loved ones—for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, The Midnight Library, and Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away.

In a remote seaside town outside of Tokyo, Kotoko makes her way along a seashell path, lured by whispers of an enigmatic restaurant whose kagezen, or traditional meals offered in remembrance of loved ones, promise a reunion with the departed. When a gust of wind lifts off her hat, she sees running after it a young man who looks like her recently deceased brother. But it’s not her brother; it’s Kai, the restaurant’s young chef, who returns her hat and brings her to the tiny establishment, where he introduces her to Chibi, the resident kitten, and serves her steaming bowls of simmered fish, rice, and miso soup—the exact meal her brother used to cook for her. As she takes her first delicious bite, the gulls outside fall silent, the air grows hazy, and Kotoko begins a magical journey of last chances and new beginnings.

Menu
Namero-don: Seasoned minced fish served on rice
Easy omelette sandwich
Umebishio: Pickled-plum jam
Sukiyaki-don: Beef hotpot, served over rice

About The Author

Yuta Takahashi is the award-winning author of the eight-book series Meals to Remember at the Chibineko Kitchen as well as several other popular series spanning historical and contemporary fiction. He was born in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, and now lives in Tokyo.Cat Anderson (translator) has won the Japanese Literature Publishing Project's International Translation Competition and is the translator of The Bookshop Woman by Nanako Hanada.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Repellent on August 26, 2024

En un pueblito de la prefectura de Chiba se encuentra un curioso restaurante que no es como cualquier otro. Este tiene por nombre Chibineko o gato pequeño, porque en él, junto a los dueños del local, habita un gatito. Pero lo que realmente hace especial a este lugar es que en el cocinan la comida de......more

Goodreads review by Tasha on March 26, 2025

This is a heartwarming story that blends mouthwatering foods, cats, loss, and life. I particularly appreciated how food was used as a way to remember loved ones. It’s true—food has a unique ability to transport us back to past times and memories. While the story felt a bit repetitive at times, it wa......more

Goodreads review by emma on January 29, 2025

Those who are familiar with Japanese literature would know what to expect from The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen, which is filled with short stories that connect to one another. The Chibineko Kitchen is a small restaurant that offers remembrance meals, or kagezen, which is a meal that is of......more

Goodreads review by Kat on August 17, 2024

A heartwarming book about love, grief, and food. When Kotokos' brother dies tragically she blames herself. The guilt is overwhelming. Then someone tells her about the Chibineko Kitchen, a little mysterious restaurant where they serve kagezen, which is an offering of food or a remembrance meal. The r......more

Goodreads review by Julian on February 23, 2025

A lovely story about the Chibineko restaurant and its resident kitten where kagezan meals, or remembrance meals, are served that allow the requestor to meet a particular person for a few minutes for the last time, until the meal cools down. This is a very similar idea to the books in the Before The......more

Quotes

One of Electric Literature’s 10 Heartwarming Japanese Books Perfect for Cozy Nights

“Charming . . . Easy to read, this book will take readers on an emotional and nourishing journey.” —The Seattle Times

“A warm hug of a novel.” —AARP

“Heartwarming . . . If you enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold, you might enjoy this magical tale set in a seaside town outside of Tokyo.” —Savvy Tokyo

“Highly recommended for those seeking sweetly uplifting healing fiction. An affecting title in the vein of Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold series or Hisashi Kashiwai’s The Kamogawa Food Detectives series . . . Poignant, bittersweet.” —Library Journal

“As warm and comforting as the meals it describes . . . Takahashi is skilled at creating cozy, tranquil scenes, with light-dappled, evocative descriptions. . . . The charming characters have moving narratives. The food, which is sensorially described, has a starring role as well, with regional and cultural exposition and recipes at the end of each chapter. . . . Soul-nourishing.” —Shelf Awareness

“Enchanting . . . This book was a wonderful break from reality for me. . . . I have often come back to think on this story that has lingered in my soul. . . . I was also pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of recipes for the remembrance meals. . . . [It] captured my heart.” —Sarah Pinault, GeekMom

“Profoundly relatable . . . A heartfelt addition to contemporary Japanese literature. It offers readers not just a story but an emotional journey that resonates deeply with anyone who has experienced loss. . . . The author skillfully illustrates how food can act as a bridge between the living and the departed. . . . A must-read for those seeking solace in stories about love and remembrance.” —Storizen Magazine

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List