Novel "Cafune": Themes of Love, Food, Care, and Connection

This piece examines the novel "Cafune" by Akiko Abe, which won the 2025 Japan Booksellers' Award. The title, meaning "the gesture of gently running fingers through a loved one's hair" in Portuguese, symbolizes the themes of love, care, and connection explored within the narrative. Through the lens of a home care service named Cafune, the story follows two women who, having experienced loss, find solace and renewed purpose through food and building a relationship, highlighting the message that "to eat is to live" and emphasizing the importance of cherishing basic necessities and loved ones. The novel also touches upon contemporary social issues and the redefinition of family beyond traditional structures.