Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Books, and Yuta Takahashi for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this title!

In a small kitchen by the sea, with a tiny kitten asleep on a nearby chair, a well-placed meal can bring you a chance to speak with the dearly departed. Numbed by the grief of losing her brother in a tragic accident, Kotoko takes a chance on advice from a friend and travels to Chiba Prefecture to eat of the kagezen, a traditional meal offered in remembrance of a departed loved one, in the hope of speaking with her brother once more. With a few bites of simmered fish - the same special dish her brother used to make her, served by enigmatic restaurant owner who seemed to know exactly what she needed - Kotoko is transported through the mists to a reunion, a redemption, and the chance to change her life forever.

This was a heartwarming novel about the ways in which we experience grief and regret, and the power of food and community to help us process and carry on. Each part of the book calls back on a previous diner's experiences, showing the interconnectedness of community and the ways in which one experience can touch multiple people and bring them together. I think this book did a great job of showing the ways in which different kinds of grief and regret can hold us back, and embodies the sentiment of "what is grief, if not love persevering" and I had a great afternoon reading this book between some longer novels. I would recommend this to anyone who feels like they need a palette cleaner (pun intended), some reflection, or who is experiencing grief and might like a new perspective.

I admit I don’t necessarily like any of these books or types of books but keep hoping I will because cats.

The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen by Yuta Takahashi is a delicate, atmospheric tale that blends Japanese culinary traditions with magical realism to explore grief, memory, and healing.
Set in a coastal town outside Tokyo, the novel follows Kotoko, who discovers a mysterious restaurant where "kagezen" meals—traditional offerings for the deceased—promise supernatural connections to departed loved ones. The story begins with beautiful imagery: a seashell path, a wind-blown hat, and the uncanny resemblance between Kai, the young chef, and Kotoko's recently deceased brother.
Takahashi skillfully weaves Japanese culinary tradition into the narrative fabric, using food as both literal nourishment and metaphorical bridge between worlds. The descriptions of steaming fish, rice, and miso soup evoke not just flavors but memories and emotions. Each meal at Chibineko Kitchen blurs the boundary between past and present, allowing Kotoko moments of clarity and connection that ordinary life cannot provide.
The titular kitten, Chibi, serves as both companion and guide through this liminal space where the living and dead seem to overlap. While some plot elements rely heavily on convenient coincidences, the emotional authenticity of Kotoko's journey toward acceptance makes this a moving read.
A thoughtful exploration of how food carries cultural memory and personal history, this novel offers a tender portrait of finding new beginnings even in the aftermath of profound loss.

I've been loving the current "healing fiction" trend in translated novels, and this is one of my favourites I've read so far. I wouldn't describe it as cosy, because grief and loss are the main themes, but it does feel healing in the way it deals with those themes. This was a quick, but very touching read, that I think will stay with me.

This is a Japanese magical realism book that I flew through in two days. It's short but very sweet, and reminds me a lot of Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. Both books include a cafe with magical properties that give its visitors a way to move forward in their lives. This book has the bonus of a very cute orange cat and some awesome Japanese recipes that were discussed in the book. The major themes of the book are grief, regret, death, misunderstandings, and finding purpose in life. Looks like this one is also being turned into a series, and I'd definitely like to revisit Chibineko Kitchen!

The perfect combination of cats, coziness, and healing. If you want a book to cozy up with, just as you would a kitten, this is the book for you. Love this.

*3.5* A moving novel that intertwines food with grief while teaching us about the acceptance of death! The characters of this story are relatable and personable and really just longing for closure. The addition of the recipes after each chapter is such a nice touch as well! This one definitely leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy by the end- highly recommend for anyone who likes a comforting story with magical realism elements.

Thanks NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC!

Kotoko has been mourning the death of her beloved brother. When informed of a restaurant that serves a remembrance
meal that allows one to hear the voice of a departed loved one, she goes to the restaurant hoping to connect with her
brother.
Taiji is in his fifth year of elementary school who attends a cram school at the end of the day to prepare for the
exam for his first choice of private junior high school. Fumika is a new female pupil at the cram school.
When questioned by another pupil about Taiji's interest in Fumika, his reply is overheard by Fumika. Unfortunately.
Fumika stops coming to the school and Taiji deeply regrets the comments she overheard. When Kotoko tells
him about the restaurant, he travels there in the hopes that the meal will allow him to connect with Fumika.
Yoshio and his wife Setsu were long time patrons of the restaurant, but Yoshio has stopped going after Setsu's death.
He asks Kai, the son of the restaurant owner, to prepare a remembrance meal at his home, Kotoko accompanies Kai
to Yoshii's home to prepare the meal which will allow Yoshi to have one last conversation with Setsu.
The remembrance meals provide the answers each one seeks and gives each the ability to move on.
#TheCuriousKittenattheChibinekiKitchen #PenguinBooks #NetGalley

The Curious Kitten at Chibineko Kitchen is a set of four vignettes, interconnected by the relations to the main character of the first one: Kotoko. People head to Chibineko Kitchen to have a remembrance meal with a departed loved one. It was a short and sweet read that falls into the Japanese magical realism category. It’s a great book to pick up for an afternoon if you want to cozy up with some lost souls who find a little happiness.
This type of story has possibly been over done, and better, but I still found it fast enough to not be annoying and enjoyed the connection between food and loved ones, plus the recipes so you can make things at home, if you choose. Food can be such a powerful binding factor, and this book held on to that idea and made it something enjoyable to consume.

I feel like this story has been told before. Reminded me a lot of The Kamogawa Food Detectives where a special meal is prepared reminding you of a loved one. In this book Kai cooks remembrance meals and while the food is hot and the steam is rising the loved one will appear. This is really four short stories connected by the Kitchen. They were sweet and magical and easy to read. Definitely comforting.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Viking for providing me with a digital copy.

Come for the adorable art and title, stay for the touching tales about humanity and loving those who are no longer with us. I really enjoyed this book. To call it a delight, wouldn't be quite right because it is a bit sad and made me cry multiple times, but it was a wonderful story about the human condition. As an American without much religious/spiritual tradition, I am always drawn to other cultures treatment and interactions with their dead. I knew going in that this was a book about death, but I didn't expect myself to be crying during my lunch break—it was a beautiful representation of the human condition, managing to be cozy and cute, while still dealing with a tough topic.

This book was both heart-warming and heart-breaking at the same time and I say that with the best intentions! It was a beautiful story about grief and the hope we can have alongside it. This story was a gentle way to look at grief and I’d recommend to just about anyone. Loved it!

A sweet story translated from Japanese about grief and hope.

The Chibineko Kitchen (chibineko means ‘little cat’ or kitten in Japanese) has a reputation for helping those that have lost someone close to them deal with their grief. Typically, they are served a remembrance meal which connects them to the person (something that person frequently made for them or a meal they shared with them) and then they’re able to talk to the person in a mystical mist.

I enjoyed this book. It’s very different from the typical Western novels, but similar to other books I’ve read translated from Japanese – delicate, slow, gentle, and a bit other worldly but lovely. And there’s lots of references to food.

Highly, highly recommended. I received a copy of this from NetGallley.com that I voluntarily reviewed.

"The Chibineko Kitchen" is a heartwarming and devastating tale set in a picturesque seaside restaurant. Takahashi masterfully crafts a cozy atmosphere while exploring themes of grief, love, and loss as patrons are given the chance to reconnect with deceased loved ones. This beautiful story expertly balances heartbreak with hope, leaving you emotionally moved and ultimately uplifted. A perfect read for anyone seeking a cathartic cry, a renewed sense of hope, or a poignant reflection on the enduring power of love in the face of sorrow.

Twenty-year-old Kotoko Niki visits the seaside town of Uchibo to have a "remembrance meal" at the Chibineko Kitchen. Kotoko feels responsible for the untimely death of her older brother who had risked his life saving her from a car accident on the street.

The Chibineko Kitchen meal comes with added incentive - the spirit of the deceased being remembered could be seen and heard for the brief moment the food stays warm on the table. Kotoko feels this meal is a way to apologize to her brother.

There are a few other people whose interactions with their deceased loved ones at the remembrance meals are told. Chibineko means "little kitten" in Japanese, and there is a little cat at the restaurant that is often present before and after the meals. When Kai, the son of the restaurant's owner, wants to close the kitchen after his ailing mother passes away, Kotoko seems to find purpose in helping Kai decide whether or not to keep the kitchen open and continue the remembrance meals.

A very cute story of death, loss, the afterlife, and remembrance. With a little magical cat in attendance.

I’ve been watching the k-drama Hotel Del Luna and I really wanted something similar in book form. I stumbled across this gem and instantly fell in love. The story follows four different characters who travel to the Chibineko Kitchen, which specializes in remembrance meals. When someone visits this restaurant and indulges in a remembrance meal, he or she may have the opportunity to communicate with a deceased loved one. At first, I thought that all of the stories were going to be independent but I really enjoyed that all of the stories are interconnected, which made the story that much more enjoyable. It is a cozy, feel-good read (even though I did cry at one point…which means it really touches your heart). I honestly can’t wait to read more stories by this author!

A brother and sister, two classmates, a husband and wife, and a mother and son. Kai and Chibi greet guests of the Chibineko Kitchen and help run the remembrance meal restaurant where loved ones can have a meal and might even seen their deceased loved one for one last time.

This novel has a cozy feel while navigating heavier topics like losing loved ones to illness and accidents. For those that enjoyed the time travel element of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and personalized meal stories of The Kamogawa Food Detectives, I think you will likely enjoy this one. Similar to the other novels I've mentioned, chapters tend to center around one character's story with the restaurant as a through line and each chapter ending in a recipe.

Thank you to Penguin Group Viking Penguin for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book was published on 2/4/25.

This was the perfect cozy read for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and similar fantasy series set in cafes, restaurants, and bookstores. Thanks to Penguin Books for the opportunity to read this advance digital galley!

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an eARC of this title. A popular series in Japan (it appears this is the first of 9 volumes in the series), in a popular new genre. Pets, food, feel good, problems solved. It feels like it is written for the YA market, and written by IA.
If you want something that is sweet and cute and does not require you to engage your brain in any activity, this is it.
1 of 5.

Sweet collection of interconnected stories. In a small seaside town in Japan is a restaurant which serves remembrance meals. A special meal to have one last chance to talk to a love who has pasted on. Loved it.