We’ve turned this unique piece of art by Keiko Shibata into a Hobonichi Techo cover. “Thanks for your hard work, Aoki-san” was originally drawn for Shibata’s personal art gallery held in 2017.



Aoki-san is a cat with great discipline and takes a bow. Behind him is a pond. You can sense a camaraderie between the two characters in this scene. This oil pastel artwork has a warm feel.The cover has a glossy finish so you can enjoy the colors.







The year 2025 is foil-pressed in metallic red on the surface of the cover. It’s imprinted onto a red background, and you can see it glint in the light.







The back is printed with an image of Keiko Shibata’s signature.







The cover has been constructed as a light hardcover book with some give to it so it still bends.



You can also purchase a Hobonichi Pencil Board for the Weeks. It’s printed with Keiko Shibata’s art piece “Wind gust during a Stay command.”







There are many more items in our collaboration with Keiko Shibata in the Hobonichi Techo 2025 lineup! This includes the techo covers “Bus management by Mr. and Mrs. Inoue” in A6 size and “Emotional Reunion with Kariya-san” in A5 size. There’s also a Weeks book called “Thanks for your hard work, Aoki-san.” The design “Dog Ears Fluttering in the Wind” is available on a Cover on Cover, which fits over a Hobonichi Techo A6 or A5 cover, and the Clear Cover, which fits over a Weeks book. The Hobonichi Paper(s) notebook has a cover with the design “Ueda-san’s summer of hugs.” Also available with prints by Keiko Shibata are the Hobonichi Pencil Board and a graph paper notebook, which continue from last year’s lineup. These all help expand the unique and charming world of Keiko Shibata!

When you order this Hobonichi Techo Weeks, you’ll receive a clear, adhesive corner pocket you can stick anywhere you like.







The book uses thin and light yet durable Tomoe River paper. This paper that underwent an overhaul with the 2024 edition techo 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). The back of the book contains bonus pages, including Sample Symbols and Icons and Oodles of Noodles.







The Hobonichi Techo 2025 Weeks book comes in either English or Japanese. If you love this cover, then you can pick out which language you’d like in that book.

*The English edition book only comes as the January-start version.







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

© Keiko Shibata

Introduction to the Keiko Shibata series products

(Hobonichi Techo 2025 lineup)