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UnsodoBijutsukai (Tanabata Decorations)Weeks Hardcover Book / Weekly Horizontal / ENG or JPN edition / Jan start / Mon start

  • 2025 New

Bijutsukai and Shin Bijutsukai are craft design books published during the Meiji period (1868–1912). Both contain beautiful designs created by various Japanese painters and designers. This collection of multicolored woodblock print designs was published by Unsodo, a Kyoto-based art publishing company and the only publisher of hand-printed woodblock books in Japan.



This Weeks book was created using a craft design selected from Bijutsukai.



The craft design consists of layers of pastel-colored geometric motifs with striking, thread-like red lines. Take a close look; you will see leaves and overlapping paper folded into triangles.

It is said that in the past, Japanese aristocrats used to write Waka poems on paper mulberry leaves instead of the Tanzaku paper strips used today. Their wishes for the Tanabata star festival were also written on paper mulberry leaves. It then became a time when “Kaji-no-ha ornaments” were regarded as a symbol of Tanabata decorations, made by hanging folded colored paper on a paper mulberry leaf and tying a string on it. These historical motifs are what is described in this design. However, it is interesting that the shapes and exquisite colors of the individual pieces give us a sense of the coming future.







The year 2025 is foil-pressed in white.







The back side is blue-green, matching the color of the leaves.







It is a fascinating design created more than 100 years ago. Keep it at your side, and enjoy its beauty and sparkling charm.

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

Craft designs that spark delight at any given moment

I first encountered the Bijutsukai and Shin-Bijutsukai craft designs when I ran into them online. I thought they were stylish, never imagining they were made so long ago. I was amazed to know that they were from the Meiji era.



I visited Unsodo in Kyoto to see almost all the craft designs, hoping to make beautiful techo covers. I looked through 20 books on Bijutsukai and Shin-Bijutsukai, with about 150 patterns for each book, all hand-printed. I was astonished by the designs’ amount and variety; some were old-fashioned, some were very Japanese, and some looked modern. Choosing from the many marvelous designs was a hard decision, and I ended up sampling more than 100 different layouts.



“Bijutsukai (Ferry)” for the A6 Original size is one of the designs that I first picked up, with a refreshing mood; the A5 Cousin size “Shin-Bijutsukai (Flower)” has a modern craft design, making the best use of the size; the “Bijutsukai (Tanabata Decorations)” Weeks includes geometric motifs and unique colorings, and I cannot wait to see who will be selecting this design for themselves; the graphical craft design of the “Bijutsukai (Rainbow)” for the HON is gorgeous and eye-catching.



All craft designs are ageless and attractive, creating techo that gives you joy every time with each glance.

Introduction to the Unsodo series products

(Hobonichi Techo 2025 lineup)

Staff List

Photographer
Styled Images: Nobuki Kawaharazaki / Product Detail: Hiroyuki Oe
Stylist
Minami Nosaki
UnsodoBijutsukai (Tanabata Decorations)Weeks Hardcover Book / Weekly Horizontal / ENG or JPN edition / Jan start / Mon start
  1. ¥2,970(incl. tax)

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Available
10

Recommended Techo Books and Covers

Recommended Stationery and Accessories

Compatible Techo Covers

Specifications

SizeH: 188 x W: 94 x T: 11 mm / H: 7.4" x W: 3.7" x T: 0.4"
*Specifications may vary slightly
WeightApprox. 140 g
Main materialRayon / Paper
Weeks Book (English / January Start)
LanguageEnglish
Pages 240 pages
Paper Type / Binding Thin, light Tomoe River paper resistant to bleeding and designed for planners / Stitch-binding
Graph Paper Size3.55 mm
Start of WeekMonday-start week
Yearly Calendar2024, 2025, 2026
Yearly IndexJan. - Dec. 2025 (2 pages)
Monthly CalendarDec. 2024 - Mar. 2026 (32 pages)
Daily QuotesOne per week (English)
Weekly CalendarNov. 25, 2024 - Jan. 4, 2026 (116 pages)
*All weekly pages include quotes.
Graph Paper73 pages
Bonus PagesShorthand Note-Taking / Using Common Items to Measure Size / Favorites / My 100 / Sample Symbols and Icons / Oodles of Noodles / 365 Days Check-Off Sheet / Addresses / Personal Notes
Listed InformationWeek of the year / Moon phase (weekly pages include every phase, monthly calendars only include full and new moon)
OtherSee the Exploring Each Type page for more details
Weeks Book (Japanese / January Start)
LanguageJapanese
Pages240 pages
Paper Type / BindingThin, light Tomoe River paper resistant to bleeding and designed for planners / Stitch-binding
Graph Paper Size3.55 mm
Start of WeekMonday-start week
Yearly Calendar2024, 2025, 2026
Yearly IndexJan. - Dec. 2025 (2 pages)
Monthly CalendarDec. 2024 - Mar. 2026 (32 pages)
Daily QuotesOne per week (Japanese)
Weekly Pages Nov. 25, 2024 - Jan. 4, 2026 (116 pages)
*All weekly pages include quotes.
Graph Paper69 pages
Bonus PagesShorthand Note-Taking / Using Common Items to Measure Size / My 100 / Sample Symbols and Icons / Recommended Noodle List of 47 Prefectures / Solar Terms / Emergency Preparedness / Age Table / Conversion Chart / Getting the most of Hobonichi / Contact List / Personal Notes
Listed InformationWeek 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)
OtherSee 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.

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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