Hobonichi 5-Year Techo Japanese Book (2027-2031, A6, jap.)
The Hobonichi 5-Year Techo (Japanese Edition, A6) captures five years in a single book: 2027 to 2031. Each double spread shows the same calendar day for all five years stacked vertically – date lines for all five years on the left, a free grid space on the right. The cover features softly textured PVC with gold-embossed year markings and works perfectly as an everyday planner without an additional sleeve; inside, Tomoe River S paper across 752 pages holds entries from five years.
Features
- Five-year layout: On each left page, the same dates from 2027–2031 are stacked vertically, so earlier entries remain readable as you write in the following year – a continuous retrospective without flipping pages.
- 3.7 mm grid paper (Tomoe River S, 52 g/m²): The cream-coloured paper with anthracite-grey printing accepts ink without bleed-through. The smooth, subtly silky surface suits fountain pens, fineliner pens and fine ballpoint refills equally well; each daily field provides 178 grid squares.
- Sewn binding with rounded spine: The thread-stitched binding lies completely flat without being held open. The rounded spine maintains structural integrity even after daily use over five years – made possible by the book's 25 mm thickness.
- Soft PVC cover: The lightly textured, brown surface feels pleasant in the hand; the material flexes enough to open the book one-handed. Title and year numbers are gold-embossed.
- Japanese edition: Weekdays and editorial pages (calendar, bonus pages, quotations) are in Japanese. Month numbers, day numbers and years appear as Arabic numerals and are readable without Japanese knowledge.
- Bonus pages: At the end of the book you'll find a five-year calendar plus pages for addresses, gift lists, personal notes and blank lists – all written in Japanese.
- Supplied in turquoise cardboard box with instruction leaflet and a test paper sheet to check pen and ink compatibility.
Use & Tips
- Fountain pens and Tomoe River S: The paper is designed to minimise bleed-through, but very wet nibs or heavily pigmented inks may show a faint shadow on the reverse. Testing on the included test sheet before your first entry is worthwhile. Fine to medium nibs and water-based inks with normal ink load generally perform well.
- Keep daily entries modest: Each day offers 178 grid squares – enough for a few lines of text, a small sketch, or pasted photos and tickets. If you don't fill every day completely, you won't fall behind; the layout works equally well with a single sentence per day or a densely written page.
- Right page as extension and note space: The completely free grid page on the right works perfectly for drawings, more detailed notes or collages that expand beyond the daily field.
- Portable without a case: The PVC cover is durable enough to carry the book without an additional protective sleeve. If you want a case: standard sleeves for annual A6 Techos won't fit – there are sleeves specifically designed for the 5-Year Techo.
- Quick-drying gel refills or oil-based ballpoint refills: If you prefer not to use fountain pen ink, quick-drying refills deliver clean, bleed-free results on the thin Tomoe River S paper.
For Techo Enthusiasts
Since the 2024 edition, Hobonichi has used Tomoe River S, a refined variant of classic Tomoe River. The fibres have been fine-tuned: at the same basis weight, the paper is slightly lighter and the surface slightly more closed. This affects the writing feel – less pronounced shading and sheening than original Tomoe River, but faster drying times and lower bleed-through susceptibility. For calligraphers seeking maximum ink dynamics, classic Tomoe River remains more appealing; for daily journalling with varied writing implements, Tomoe River S is more practical. The sewn binding with rounded spine is a bookbinding feature more commonly found in encyclopaedias or bibles – and explains why the spine of this book remains structurally sound despite 752 pages and daily use over five years.
Technical Specifications
| Model: | Hobonichi 5-Year Techo – Japanese Book (A6) |
| Period: | 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2031 |
| Language: | Japanese (dates in Arabic numerals) |
| Cover size: | 153 × 113 mm |
| Thickness: | 25 mm |
| Weight: | approx. 330 g |
| Page count: | 752 pages |
| Paper: | Tomoe River S, 52 g/m², cream white |
| Grid division: | 3.7 mm |
| Grid squares per day: | 178 |
| Binding: | Thread-stitched, rounded spine, lies flat when opened |
| Cover: | Soft PVC, lightly textured, brown, gold embossing |
| Ribbon marker: | 1 × dark brown |
| Contents: | Techo, instruction leaflet (Japanese), test paper sheet, turquoise cardboard box |
| Origin: | Japan |
