The Hobonichi Techo was created in 2001 from the Japanese website Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shimbun. Every year, the techo's design has been refined and updated to reflect the demands of users. There are three sizes: the Japanese paperback-sized "Original," the A5-sized "Cousin," and the weekly-diary formatted "Weeks."

Here is some information on the "Original" size Hobonichi Techo, the base of the Hobonichi Planner.

Every day is given an entire page with only graph lines for creative versatility. You can enter your schedule for the day or scribble some ideas on a whim. But the planner is not only for writing. Users paste tickets, magazine clips, photo prints and other items of interest as they use the planner in their own unique way.

First-time users have been surprised at how the planner opens and lays flat. A novel, for example, doesn’t need to open a full 180 degrees, but to someone who carries their Hobonichi Techo everywhere and pulls it out to jot something off the top of their head, it's very important for the book to open and lay flat without being held down.

From the heartfelt to the humorous, each page includes a quote from the techo's parent site, Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shimbun.
(The Hobonichi Planner includes one quote per two-page spread.)

The Hobonichi Techo experience includes selecting a cover.
The cover does more than protect your planner book from daily wear and tear. Its many pockets, and the pen holder that holds the cover shut, make the cover a resourceful and fun tool to make life more convenient. One excitement for users is choosing their favorite cover from the extensive lineup every year.