Monday at the Matcha Café

A new vivid novel by Mitiko Aoyama tells how random encounters can quietly and unobtrusively guide us to the place where we are meant to be.

On Mondays, the “Marble” coffee shop is closed, but Miho still goes inside—and perhaps it is there that she drinks the most meaningful cup of matcha of her life.

From fleeting acquaintances and unexpected episodes, a path is formed that leads us to the point we’re in today. A matcha café waiter, a friend from online correspondence, a quirky classmate, or a random shopper—anyone you meet can become a teacher and help you change for the better. That’s what the Master believes—the owner of the warm, quiet coffee shop “Marble.” And a confirmation of his words are twelve stories by new narrators, which echo each other and reflect in the destinies of other people.

Who this book is for:
— For those who love cozy, inspiring prose with a Japanese mood.
— For readers who enjoy unhurried stories about people and the intertwining of their fates.
— For fans of books in the spirit of “The Combin Man” by Sayaka Murata and “While the Coffee Cools” by Tōsikazu Kawaguchi.