Taro Okamoto: Three Faces 2024 edition / Weeks Hardcover Book / Weekly Horizontal / JPN edition / Apr start / Mon start - Hobonichi Techo 2023 Edition

Taro OkamotoThree Faces2024 edition / Weeks Hardcover Book / Weekly Horizontal / JPN edition / Apr start / Mon start

2024 ver.

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 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 73 pages of grid paper memo pages in the back. The back of the book contains informational pages, including An Interview with Myself and Seasonal Sweets to Make at Home.

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

About Taro Okamoto

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.

Bring Taro Okamoto’s works full of life into your own daily life

Both Taro Okamoto’s works and the man himself are filled with energy. Even just the sight of his works is energizing. It goes without saying that Taro Okamoto is one of Japan’s leading artists, but even if someone didn’t know of him, they would still surely feel the power given off by his works. There have been previous Okamoto Taro x Hobonichi Techo covers, based on the Myth of Tomorrow and the Black Sun design. We’d talked many times about how nice it would be if we could make another Taro Okamoto techo, and we’ve finally been able to deliver that this year.

“Simple but strong, and somehow charming.” Our designer compiled this design in a way that could convey the appeal of Okamoto’s artwork.

The Original and Cousin size Golden Mask covers have graceful designs. The main material has an elegant gold color to give it some flavor. There are also several playful designs in the covers, including bookmark charms that are shaped like the Tower of the Sun, and an image of the full tower printed on the cover interior.

The “Three Faces” design for the Weeks looks very simple, but it has an elaborate construction with three different types of foil: black, gold, and silver. The pitch black cover background has a sparkling sheen that gives it a stylish look.

We hope that users can feel more energized and courageous by including the works of Taro Okamoto in their daily lives through the techo.

Staff List

Photographer: Styled Images: Eri Morikawa / Product Detail: Hiroyuki Oe
Stylist: Noriko Miyazaki
Makeup & Hair: Moe Hikida
Model: HAO (TOMORROW TOKYO)

Taro OkamotoThree Faces2024 edition / Weeks Hardcover Book / Weekly Horizontal / JPN edition / Apr start / Mon start

¥2,970(incl. tax)

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Available

Compatible Techo Covers

Weeks Cover

Specifications

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
Weight	Approx. 135 g
Main material	Glossy paper (PP coated) / Paper

Weeks Book (Japanese / April Start)

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	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

Please Read Before You Buy

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.

Test fountain pens before regular use: The Hobonichi Techo's Tomoe River 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.
Cover corners are slightly bumpy and shiny: The corners of the cover contain light traces of press marks, shines, and lumps. This is an unavoidable part of the manufacturing process.
Coloring may stain other objects: 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.

Imprinted year numbers may peel: 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.
Avoid storing in hot and humid places: 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.
Avoid using with Clear Cover: This cover uses thicker materials than usual, so it may not fit. Forcing it into a Clear Cover may damage the product.

User recommendations

If you’ve used any of these products, we welcome your notes on what you like about them or what led you to buy them so we can share it with customers who are currently considering these products. We’d also love to welcome comments from customers who purchased their techo outside the Hobonichi Store or received their book as a gift.

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