Several times a year, a group of Hobonichi Techo fans meet up in Metro Manila, Philippines. This Hobonichi Meet Up crew consists of people who first met on social media, and it numbers over a thousand members! We wondered what the meet ups were like, so a few members of our techo team 
went to go check it out. This is our report of the event, complete with video footage.
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Here are some pages from the Hobonichi Techos of members we met at the Meet Up. We also asked people about how they learned about the Hobonichi Techo, and what they like about it.
As we documented our time at the meet up event, we saw that many of the participants didn’t only write in their pages, but filled them with drawings. It seemed to make sense, seeing as the members had come together through a community on Facebook where they can share pictures.
We were moved to see all the members so carefully filling in each and every daily page. Have a look!
Drea
The first time I saw a Hobonichi Techo in person was when I visited a Loft in Japan two years ago. The paper was so thin, I was worried about whether it could handle watercolor paints, and as a result I didn’t end up buying it. This year is the first year I’m using it, and now I have a HOMEbonichi I keep at home, and a ROAMbonichi I always carry with me. My favorite parts of the Hobonichi Techo are the paper, the colorful covers, and the community. I’ve made so many new friends since I started using it.
Ren
I’ve been using the Hobonichi Techo since January. I like reading in English, so I chose the English version. I’ve had a lot of planners and scheduling books, but the Hobonichi Techo is my favorite! At night, I usually write my plans for the day and jot down things of note that happened. One day I discovered how well watercolor paints work with Tomoe River paper, so I started painting fruits and vegetables and other things I like. I even use watercolor paints in the monthly calendar.
Mishie Anne
It’s my first time using it this year, and this Cousin Avec is my first Hobonichi Techo. The Japanese version works better for me because the smaller graph-paper grid lines up better with the way I write. I write mainly about food—things I ate or restaurants I went to. I love ramen, so sometimes I’ll tape one of the packets to my page after I eat some. I usually leave my book at home; I only bring it out with me during the meet up events.
Aina
I’ve used the Hobonichi Techo since the second half of 2015. I found it on Instagram and fell in love with the graph-paper pages and design. I bought it at Scribe Writing Essentials. I have my techo on me at all times, and pull it out and write any time the urge hits me, even if it’s only in short spurts at work. As long as I write in my techo, I can overcome any stress that’s nagging at me, and I can calm down and relax.
Monica
This is my first year using the Hobonichi Techo. I use it for whatever suits me, so I write all kinds of things in it. At night, I often write out a task list of things I need to complete the next day. Last year I would only draw pictures once or twice a month, but now that I’m in love with my Hobonichi Techo I’m drawing something every day. I’m also studying Japanese, so I take notes for my studies. I feel like I’ve been much better at getting things done since I started writing my to-do lists in my techo.
Helen
I’ve been using the Hobonichi Techo for about a year and a half. In the monthly page, I fill in one thing that made me smile each day. It could be something my child said, or about the Hobonichi staff coming all the way to the Philippines from Japan, or finding money in an old purse I haven’t been using. I decorate the daily pages with washi tape, and I write in my diary every night before going to bed. I’m not good at drawing, washi helps me portray things in a fun way and I enjoy it!
Michelle Amina
I use both the Japanese-language Original and the Weeks. I have my Original book in a traditional pen-holder cover, which I keep inside a Zippers cover. I write out what happened each day in a short list or write about good things that happened to me that day. I also enjoy laminating drawings I like and taping them to my pages, or making collages with cut-outs from bags of snacks I like. I use my Weeks to keep track of work and event plans.
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