Hobonichi Planner Techo 2027 Cousin Book (A5, eng.)

The Hobonichi Techo Cousin is the largest planner in the Techo family – an A5 book with one page per day, English-language edition, and the signature Tomoe River Paper that has been the heart of this planner series for over two decades. Compared to the A6 original, the Cousin format offers twice the writing space and is designed for those who fill their Techo intensively: with appointments, journal entries, sketches, glued-in tickets or photos. The week starts on Monday, and the year starts on 1 January 2027.

Features

• Tomoe River Paper (Tomoe River S): Hair-thin yet surprisingly tear-resistant paper with a smooth, slightly cool surface. Fountain pen inks show minimal feathering, display vibrant colours and dry more slowly on the smooth surface than on standard paper – when writing with a wet nib, let the ink sit briefly before turning the page.
• Thread binding (180° lie-flat): The binding follows the principle of a dictionary: both pages lie completely flat without needing to hold the book open. This is particularly noticeable when writing across the spine – no resistance, no warping.
• 3.7 mm grid paper: The grid is fine enough for small handwriting and large letters alike. The light grey lines don't interfere with your script, can be used as a guide or ignored completely.
• Exclusive weekly pages (Cousin only): Only the Cousin features weekly spreads with a 24-hour timeline (0:00–24:00) – perfect for time-blocked daily planning and shift work.
• Monthly colour coding: Each month is printed in its own colour, making it easy to navigate through the book quickly.
• English quotations: The English-language edition features a carefully selected quote on every spread from the Japanese Hobonichi web magazine – translated into English.
• Rounded page corners: Protect the pages from dog-ears and creases when the planner is carried in a bag or rucksack.
• Individual serial number: A unique number is printed on the inside of the back cover – every copy is one of a kind.
• Moon phases: All Hobonichi planners display the moon phases on the calendar pages.

Use & Tips

• Fountain pens and Tomoe River: Tomoe River Paper is made for fountain pen writing – fine to medium nibs work very well. Stub nibs and wet nibs need a little drying time; quick-drying inks or slightly dry nibs are recommended for turning pages smoothly. When switching to a new nib, a test line on the memo pages at the back is worthwhile.
• Weekly pages as daily structure: The 24-hour timeline is ideal for time-blocking, shift planning, travel itineraries or as a habit tracker – one box per hour creates a clear overview of the entire week.
• Gluing and collage: When gluing in tickets, photos or newspaper clippings, a low-residue glue stick or washi tape works best to prevent the thin paper from becoming wavy.
• Desk planner rather than pocket planner: The Cousin is large enough to sit permanently on your desk and remain open for reference – a mode many users prefer to carrying it around.
• Choose cover separately: The book is supplied without a cover. The book dimensions are consistent year to year, so an existing A5 Techo cover from the previous year will fit.
• Bonus pages at the back: In addition to memo pages, the English edition includes editorial bonus pages from the Hobonichi universe – great to discover after your first flick through.

For Planner Enthusiasts

Tomoe River S – the "S" stands for a revised fibre structure since 2024 – is smoother and more resistant to show-through compared to the previous generation, whilst maintaining the same weight. For calligraphers, this means: inks with high pigment density (iron gall, heavily pigmented) display particularly rich lettering and pronounced shading on this paper. Watery inks with sheen effects are shown to good advantage because the paper holds the ink on the surface longer before it is absorbed. Glass fibre or ceramic smoothers can be used to smooth finished pages without altering the paper's character. The thread binding is constructed so that no adhesive ridges form along the spine – if you want to experiment with full-page watercolour washes or brush lettering, you'll find no mechanical resistance when writing to the edge.

Technical Specifications