Hobonichi Planner Techo 2027 Original Avec Books (A6, jap.)

The Hobonichi Techo Original Avec is the annual version of the iconic Japanese A6 daily planner – split into two slim six-month volumes instead of one thick yearbook. Book 1 runs from January to June 2027, Book 2 from July to December 2027. The heart of both volumes is Tomoe River paper: paper-thin, featherlight yet durable, with a smooth, creamy surface where ink flows evenly.

Features

• Two-part Avec concept: The year is split into two six-month volumes. If you like to paste in tickets, photos and notes, you stay permanently slim on the go because each volume builds up only half the bulk of a complete annual planner.
• Tomoe River paper: Extremely thin yet tear-resistant paper with a silky surface. Inks appear rich and display their colour nuance beautifully – particularly with wet fountain pen inks and iron gall inks, the characteristic sheen behaviour really shines through. Water-based and pigment-based inks dry more slowly on this surface; a short drying time is recommended. Not archival.
• Sewn binding, opens flat to 180°: The same thread binding as a dictionary – the book lies flat on the table of its own accord without needing to be held. Ideal for two-handed writing, drawing or pasting in materials.
• One page per day, 3.7 mm dot grid: Each daily page features a subtle, lightly-printed dot grid at 3.7 mm spacing – fine enough for small handwriting, open enough for sketches and layouts. The grid can be ignored or used as a guide.
• Daily page details: Each page is headed with the date, day of the week and moon phase. The footer contains a quotation from the Hobonichi archive in Japanese plus a mini monthly calendar for quick reference.
• Starts on Monday: The weekly structure begins on Monday – a natural foundation for European planning habits.
• Rounded corners: All page corners are rounded so edges don't fray or crease when the planner travels in your bag or backpack.
• Perfect fit for standard A6 covers: Both Avec volumes fit the same A6 Hobonichi covers as the complete annual volume. Inside the cover there's also room for a second slim notebook alongside the Avec volume.

Use & Tips

• Fountain pens and wet inks: Tomoe River paper is especially suited to fountain pens – inks flow evenly and display shading and sheen distinctly. If you write with broad-nib or stub nibs, wait a moment after writing before turning the page.
• Pasting without the paper buckling: Use water-based adhesive stick sparingly on Tomoe River paper; wax adhesive or dry tape strips cause less buckling. Photos, tickets and printouts integrate well.
• Bullet journalling in A6 format: The open grid invites free layout – daily logs, habit trackers, small sketches or timelines can be arranged flexibly. For gel rollers with quick-drying pigment refills or oil-based ballpoint refills, this paper is particularly pleasant as these pens need barely any drying time.
• Planning the six-month changeover: Book 1 (January–June) and Book 2 (July–December) have slightly different year and monthly calendar spans, plus varying numbers of bonus pages in the appendix. Book 2 contains no additional memo pages at the end – if you need blank pages for notes, plan ahead with Book 1.
• Swap the cover, swap the book: The Avec concept invites you to renew the book block each year and reuse the cover – a cover investment pays for itself over many years.

For Planner Enthusiasts

The Tomoe River paper in the Hobonichi Techo is a custom product made for planner use. At 52 g/m² it sits well below typical letter paper, yet with correct ink selection it shows minimal show-through. The surface is smooth calendered, which allows dense ink applications – such as overlining with coloured pencils or light watercolouring – in principle, but requires careful dosing. With very wet techniques (watercolour washes) the paper will ripple. The 3.7 mm grid has been deliberately chosen to be tighter than standard grids after years of testing: it suits handwriting with an x-height between 3 and 5 mm. Every page corner is manufactured rounded, and each Techo block carries a serial number inside the back cover – a small detail that makes every volume an individual piece.

Technical Specifications