What is the Hobonichi Techo?

The original Hobonichi Techo was created in 2001, and it’s been refined and updated every year since then to reflect the demands of users. Now, over 20 years from its initial release, the techo has gained fans all over the world. Here’s a look at the basics of the Hobonichi Techo

1. A look at the layout

The Hobonichi Techo comes in a variety of styles, but all of them share a dedication to allowing users total control over the way they use their techo with features that keep the smallest details in mind.

You can see all the basic features of the Hobonichi Techo in this layout from the Original. Each feature has received years of careful consideration.

1) One page per day
Each day has its own page with ample blank space to help you use the techo any way you like. You can write in your daily schedule, list tasks, or keep a journal, but you could just as easily paste in things like movie ticket stubs or newspaper articles, draw pictures all over the page, and more. The possibilities are endless.

2) Graph paper design
The Hobonichi Techo’s graph-paper design helps keep your writing straight whether you’re writing vertically or horizontally and makes drawing charts or graphs easy, too. The 3.7 mm grid size was the result of extensive testing to find the ideal size for comfortable writing.

3) Original daily quotes
One feature unique to the Hobonichi Techo is the collection of insightful and entertaining quotes on the pages, all of them specially selected from the techo’s parent site, Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun. The techo is fun to write in, but thanks to its daily quotes it’s also fun to read.

4) Features that make it easy to use
Lots of other small details in the techo make it even better to use. A mini calendar printed on each daily page lets you reference dates without flipping to other pages, a subtle 24-hour timetable with 30 minute increments is there if you need it, and each month is printed in a different color so you can tell them apart. You’ll find lots of other neat little features as you use it, too.

2. Paper and bookbinding features

Lay-flat binding
Special stitch-binding allows the techo to lay completely flat without being held down.

Tomoe River paper
The Hobonichi Techo is made from a light, durable paper called Tomoe River paper that feels great to use. This allows the book to contain an incredible number of pages while still remaining totally compact.

3.Many books and covers to choose from

The Hobonichi Techo has been around for over 20 years. Beginning with just the daily A6 Original techo, the line has been expanded over time to include a weekly techo, a 5-year techo, and more. You can pick out whichever one best suits your needs.

Pick your favorite size and layout!

English Daily Pages
Planner

This A6 size Hobonichi Techo has a page a day and the contents have all been translated into English. Sonya Park, owner of brand and shop Arts&Science, is the creative director who polished the techo into a simple and refined design for the English edition. Because the Planner is the same size as the Original, they can both use the A6 Hobonichi Techo covers. (The Planner only comes in a January-start with Monday-start calendars.)

Daily Pages
Original

With a page a day at a compact A6 size, the Original is the prototypical Hobonichi Techo. Use it as a journal to record what happens in your daily life, use it as a schedule and task manager, use it to draw pictures or only write words, use it to paste in random things you find—just make sure to use it any way you like.

Larger Daily Pages
Cousin

The A5-size Cousin is the largest member of the Hobonichi Techo lineup. There’s ample space in each page, so you can also use it to take notes for school or work. It’s handy for storing materials, too; an A4 or letter-size piece of paper folded in half will fit into the book just right.

Weekly Pages
Weeks

This weekly, slim and long techo is the Weeks. It’s light and easy to carry around, and a week is visible on each page spread so you can see your plans for the week at a glance. There are ample blank memo pages, so you can write all kinds of things—things that caught your eye, books you read, movies you watched, or anything else you can think of.

5-Year Pages
Hobonichi 5-Year Techo

The Hobonichi 5-Year Techo has a single date per page, with each page splitting that date into 5 years. Once you’re on your second year, you can start looking back on what you wrote one year earlier, and that’s when this techo really gets fun. It’s available in both A6 size and the larger A5 size.

Pick your languageJapanese, English, Chinese

The Original, Cousin and Weeks are available as the English edition and the Simplified Chinese edition. The HON (A6 / A5) is also available as the English edition.

Here is the Hobonichi Techo lineup that is currently on sale.

Book Buying Guide

Many Covers to Choose From

The Hobonichi Techo pairs together a planner book and a cover. (The HON and Weeks come in a variety of front cover designs.)

The Hobonichi Techo covers are newly released each year with a wide variety of designs that vary from simple to cute. Their broad range of materials and designs allow you to choose a cover based on personal tastes or the environment in which you’ll be using it. One of the enjoyments of the Hobonichi Techo is trying to decide which cover you’ll end up choosing.

Hobonichi Techo 2024Full Lineup

4. Some usage examples

The Hobonichi Techo is a Life Book. How you use it and what you write in it is entirely up to you. Once the year is over, you’ll have a book jam-packed with your Life, in a Book that exists nowhere else in the world.

But when we talk about how much freedom the techo provides, it’s not uncommon to have a hard time knowing where to start. If you need ideas, take a look at the How It’s Used page for a wide range of user examples to get inspired.