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Hobonichi planners are what every planner should be: functional yet beautiful at the same time. I love Hobinichi planners so much that I haven’t bought any other brand since I got my first one (a Hobonichi Techo) back in 2019.
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So in this post, I will walk you through all things Hobonichi Techo — descriptions and features, benefits and advantages, strengths and weaknesses (if any), and where to buy.
What is a Hobonichi?
Hobonichi is a brand of unique products from Japan that includes planners and journals. These planners and journals come in many different kinds and sizes.
What are the sizes of Hobonichi?
Hobonichi planners and journals come in these kinds and sizes:
- Hobonichi Techo Planner Book (A6 – 5.83″ x 4.13″)
- Hobonichi Techo Original (A6 – 5.83″ x 4.13″)
- Hobonichi Techo Hon (A6 – 6.14″ x 4.33″)
- Hobonichi Techo Cousin (A5 – 8.27″ x 5.83″)
- Hobonichi Weeks (Wallet Size – 7.4″ x 3.7″)
- Hobonichi Techo Day Free Book (A5 – 8.27″ x 5.83″)
- Hobonichi Plain Notebook (A5 – 8.27″ x 5.83″)
Hobonichi also sells other journaling accessories like pencil boards (for a smoother writing experience), planner covers, drawer pouches, and more.
What size is the Hobonichi 2024?
Hobonichi Techo 2024 is in A6 size or 5.83″ x 4.13″.
What is in a Hobinichi Techo?
The Hobonichi Techo planner has thin and light yet durable Tomoe River graph paper, and has around 448 to 464 pages, depending on whether it’s the Techo Planner Book or the Original. The main group of pages has a one-page per day format with a 24-hour timetable, a quote, and a mini monthly calendar at the bottom right of every two-page spread. It comes in Japanese and English language.
Also inside the Techo, you will find 3 yearly calendars, a yearly index, a monthly calendar, a “turning-the-page” section, a blank page before the start of each month for note-taking, a to-do list, a timetable page, a favorites page, a my-100 page, an interview-with-myself page, a words-to-remember page, a 365 days check off sheet, and memo pages. Each month is printed in a different color.
I made a quick video of my Hobonichi 2019 so you can have an idea of what it’s like. I used my Techo 2019 because since it’s mostly filled up, you will then have a general idea of the many ways you can use it or customize it to your liking.
What is so special about Hobonichi?
A Hobonichi has a thin and light Tomoe River paper specially designed for planners that is smooth and resistant to bleeding. This graph paper has been set to 3.7 mm for optimal writing comfort. It has plenty of space to fill so you can write from anywhere on the page. As the lines were printed in light colors, you can customize it however you like (write a daily schedule, list tasks, or keep a journal), or just ignore them completely and just draw pictures or paste things like movie ticket stubs, pictures, or stickers.
Because Hobonichi’s papers are light, their planners can contain many pages (very useful for note-taking) while remaining compact.
Hobonichis have the same stitch binding as a dictionary so they lay flat when open even if you don’t hold them down. This allows for comfortable writing.
Also like a dictionary, each month is labeled with a different colored tab on the side of the page, which can still be seen even when the book is closed, for easy reference. This feature makes it easy to flip ahead to write plans or flip back to read previous pages.
Why do I love it?
I have used many different planners over the years, yet Hobonichi is the planner that stands out and I love the most. For me, it is the best planner around.
I love them because they’re beautiful and well-crafted.
I love their fine and soft paper because they’re light and smooth, which makes writing such a wonderful, blissful experience. Even just running my fingers over them already brings me happiness.
I also love how compact Hobonichis are. Whether it’s Techo or Weeks (which I also currently use), they’re handy yet still have plenty of space to write on.
Hobonichis are priced a bit more (which is the only downside or weakness I can think of) than other planners, but for me, the few extra bucks it costs me a year is well worth the experience and happiness I get from using Hobonichis.
Related Read: How to Write a Journal Creatively
How do I use my Hobonichi A6?
As you can see in the video, I use my Techo for recording my day-to-day activities since I have the Weeks which I use to plan future projects. The extra blank graph pages I use as a scrapbook to bring homage (ha!) to my favorite Asian dramas.
My Techo planner came with a cardboard cover so I bought a special cover made with cloth and synthetic leather for protection (the retro-printed one with a pen holder on the left). If you want an A6 with a built-in firmer cover, however, then choose the Techo Hon because it has a harder and thicker outer.
Why choose Hobonichi 2024?
So why should you choose Hobonichi journals? Well, if you’re an avid planner or a passionate journaler like me, then give Hobonichi a try. They’re beautiful and fine, so planning or journaling on them gives one a happy and satisfying experience.
Where to Buy?
You can get yourself some of these amazing Hobonichi planners.
#1 Hobonichi 2024 Techo
#2 Hobonichi 2024 Techo Planner Book
#3 2024 Techo Hon A5
#4 2024 Techo Weeks
#5 Techo Day Free Book
#6 Techo Planner Cover
What is similar to Hobonichi?
Cafe Note A6 Tomoe River Journal is similar to Hobonichi. It is also in A6 size and its pages are also made of Tomoe River papers so they have the same lightweight, strong, and resistant-to-bleeding characteristics as Hobonichi. The only difference is that it’s thinner due to lower page count.
Wrap Up
Hobonichi planners are high quality, finely crafted, and beautiful. They seamlessly blend functionality and aesthetics for an unparalleled planning journey. So elevate your planning experience, and unlock your productivity and creativity with this ultimate planner’s thoughtful layout and artistic flair.
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I love planners and I also lived in Japan. I do not remember these exact planners but they are beautiful and I’m sure very high quality since they are Japanese.