The Tower of the Sun monument was erected for the 1970 World’s Fair in Osaka and stands about 70 meters tall. It remains to this day as a powerful presence in the Osaka Expo Park and is one of Taro Okamoto’s most famous works. The tower is regarded as a symbol of the energy of all things generated through the past, present, and future, and also the center of life. There are three faces on the tower: The Golden Mask, which shines at the top of the tower, the Face of the Sun in the center of the tower, and the Black Sun on the back. This Weeks book cover features all three faces lined up.
Photo by: Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum
The three faces are debossed and foil-printed in black, gold, and silver.
The year 2024 is printed in a sparkling gold.
The back cover is also foil-pressed in gold with Taro’s signature.
The Golden Mask represents the future, the Face of the Sun represents the present, and the Black Sun represents the past. With the past, present and future all lined up on this Weeks techo, it’s perfect for making into your own unique book of time as you write down things like future plans or events that happened that day.
When you order this Hobonichi Techo Weeks, you’ll receive a clear, adhesive corner pocket you can stick anywhere you like.
From the 2024 April-start version for the Weeks, the book uses thin and light yet durable Tomoe River S paper. The paper has supported the Hobonichi Techo for over 20 years with its special characteristics, but it’ll be undergoing an overhaul starting with the 2024 edition techos. The paper is more resistant to bleed through, lighter despite being the same thickness, and has a smoother surface by adjusting the fibers of the paper.
The Weeks book has space for writing in plans or journal entries, and it also has 69 pages of grid paper memo pages in the back (73 pages in the English edition Weeks and the April-start version). The back of the book contains informational pages, including An Interview with Myself and Seasonal Sweets to Make at Home.
The Hobonichi Techo 2024 Weeks book comes in either Japanese or English. If you love this cover, then you can pick out which language you’d like in that book.
*The English edition book only comes in January-start.
If you’d like storage space or a way to change up the look of your Weeks book, you can customize your book by pairing it with a Weeks cover.
See Weeks cover lineup
Taro Okamoto moved to Paris in 1929 at 18, where he participated in core organizations of the abstract art movement, and also gained invaluable experience by immersing himself in ethnographic studies at the University of Paris. After returning to Japan in 1940, he developed his avant-garde art in postwar Japan and produced a series of controversial artworks. In 1951, Okamoto first encountered Jomon pottery. He traveled throughout Japan in the late 1950s and created a number of photographs and essays. He designed the Tower of the Sun for the 1970 Osaka World Expo and became a well-known national figure. Even after his death in 1996, he continues to have a great influence on the younger generation.
Size | H: 188 x W: 94 x T: 10 mm / H: 7.4" x W: 3.7" x T: 0.4" *Specifications may vary slightly |
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Weight | Approx. 135 g |
Main material | Glossy paper (PP coated) |
Language | English |
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Pages | 240 pages |
Paper Type / Binding | Thin, light Tomoe River paper resistant to bleeding and designed for planners / Stitch-binding |
Graph Paper Size | 3.55 mm |
Start of Week | Monday-start week |
Yearly Calendar | 2023, 2024, 2025 |
Yearly Index | Jan. - Dec. 2024 (2 pages) |
Monthly Calendar | Dec. 2023 - Mar. 2025 (32 pages) |
Daily Quotes | One per week (English) |
Weekly Calendar | Nov. 27, 2023 - Jan. 5, 2025 (116 pages) *All weekly pages include quotes. |
Graph Paper | 73 pages |
Bonus Pages | Shorthand Note-Taking / Using Common Items to Measure Size / Favorites / My 100 / An Interview with Myself / Seasonal Sweets to Make at Home / 365 Days Check-Off Sheet / Contact List / Personal Notes |
Listed Information | Week of the year / Moon phase (weekly pages include every phase, monthly calendars only include full and new moon) |
Other | See the Exploring Each Type page for more details |
Language | Japanese |
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Pages | 240 pages |
Paper Type / Binding | Thin, light Tomoe River S paper resistant to bleeding and designed for planners / Stitch-binding |
Graph Paper Size | 3.55 mm |
Start of Week | Monday-start week |
Yearly Calendar | 2023, 2024, 2025 |
Yearly Index | Apr. 2024 - Mar. 2025 (2 pages) |
Monthly Calendar | Mar. 2024 - Apr. 2025 (28 pages) |
Daily Quotes | One per week (Japanese) |
Weekly Pages | Feb. 26, 2024 - Apr. 6, 2025 (116 pages) *All weekly pages include quotes. |
Graph Paper | 73 pages |
Bonus Pages | Shorthand Note-Taking / Using Common Items to Measure Size / My 100 / An Interview with Myself / Seasonal Sweets to Make at Home / Solar Terms / Emergency Preparedness / Age Table / Conversion Chart / Getting the most of Hobonichi / Contact List / Personal Notes |
Listed Information | Week of the year / Rokuyo (traditional Japanese calendar) / Solar terms / Japanese holidays / Moon phase (weekly pages include every phase, monthly calendars only include full and new moon) |
Other | See the Exploring Each Type page for more details |
Language | Japanese |
---|---|
Pages | 240 pages |
Paper Type / Binding | Thin, light Tomoe River paper resistant to bleeding and designed for planners / Stitch-binding |
Graph Paper Size | 3.55 mm |
Start of Week | Monday-start week |
Yearly Calendar | 2023, 2024, 2025 |
Yearly Index | Jan. - Dec. 2024 (2 pages) |
Monthly Calendar | Dec. 2023 - Mar. 2025 (32 pages) |
Daily Quotes | One per week (Japanese) |
Weekly Pages | Nov. 27, 2023 - Jan. 5, 2025 (116 pages) *All weekly pages include quotes. |
Graph Paper | 69 pages |
Bonus Pages | Shorthand Note-Taking / Using Common Items to Measure Size / My 100 / An Interview with Myself / Seasonal Sweets to Make at Home / Solar Terms / Emergency Preparedness / Age Table / Conversion Chart / Getting the most of Hobonichi / Contact List / Personal Notes |
Listed Information | Week of the year / Rokuyo (traditional Japanese calendar) / Solar terms / Japanese holidays / Moon phase (weekly pages include every phase, monthly calendars only include full and new moon) |
Other | See the Exploring Each Type page for more details |
In order to provide you with the most satisfaction for your product, we've compiled a list of warnings, potential issues, and tips to keep in mind for this particular product. Please be sure to read this information carefully before placing your order.
The Hobonichi Techo's Tomoe River / Tomoe River S paper is designed to prevent bleed-through, but some fountain pens and water-based ink pens are not compatible with this paper. When switching to a new pen, we recommend testing the pen somewhere in the book, such as the back memo pages, to see if the ink bleeds through or takes an especially long time to dry.
The corners of the cover contain light traces of press marks, shines, and lumps. This is an unavoidable part of the manufacturing process.
The dye in the cover may stain other objects if it rubs against or sticks to them, especially if the cover is wet from water or sweat from your hands. Please store with care.
The numbers of the year are stamped onto the cover in metallic or other colored leaf, so strong rubbing or everyday use may cause the numbers to peel off.
Please avoid storing your product in hot, humid places or placing it atop other objects for long periods of time as this may result in lower quality and color stains.
This cover uses thicker materials than usual, so it may not fit. Forcing it into a Clear Cover may damage the product.