Yamamoto Notebook Ro-Biki Shape Series - Lighthouse

The Yamamoto Ro-Biki notebook from the Shape Series is a Japanese pocket notebook with a waxed kraft paper cover. Designed by papermakers with years of experience, it carries a clear character from the outset – and develops an increasingly individual patina through scratches, creases and daily use. The Shape Series motif follows a minimalist, restrained design principle: a lighthouse subject, reduced to clear form.

Features

• Waxed paper cover: Waxed kraft paper feels slightly leathery and firm in the hand. It absorbs signs of use and thereby develops an individual surface – each notebook ages in its own way.
• Yamamoto New Chiffon Cream: The cream-coloured inner paper sits solidly and smoothly under the nib. It is fountain pen-friendly and acid-free – inks feather minimally, letterforms remain sharp, even with wetter nibs or dip pens.
• Dot grid: The dot-grid pattern provides orientation without visual dominance – useful for tables, diagrams, sketches and neat handwriting alike.
• Thread and adhesive binding: The notebook lies completely flat on the table. No page curves away whilst writing, no spine cracks with frequent opening.
• Pocket format 89 × 125 mm: Slim enough for a jacket pocket, large enough for legible handwritten notes.
• Acid-free paper: Notes, drawings and inks don't yellow prematurely – the notebook remains legible even after years.

Use & Tips

• Fountain pen ink on New Chiffon Cream: The paper handles ink-rich nibs well. Stub nibs and wet iron gall inks work significantly better on this than on untreated wood pulp paper.
• Dip pen and ink: The smooth, dense surface flows cleanly under a pointed nib – particularly suited for lettering practice or small handwriting samples.
• Everyday carry: The slim format and robust binding make the notebook a reliable companion for ideas, lists and sketches on the go.
• Bullet journalling in miniature: The dot grid is perfect for compact weekly and habit trackers, logs and index pages in pocket-sized format.
• Patina with purpose: Those who regularly carry, fold and pocket the cover accelerate the development of the waxed surface – the result is a matt, textured finish with personal character.

For Paper Enthusiasts

Yamamoto Paper is a Japanese papermaker specialising in writing papers for discerning fountain pen users. The New Chiffon Cream paper is a cream-coloured variant that creates a pleasant writing experience with its slightly soft surface, whilst remaining firm enough not to shed fibres with the nib stroke. The thread and adhesive binding of these notebooks is not decorative: it allows the notebook to lie completely flat even when already half-filled – relevant for anyone writing or sketching with both hands. The 60 pages on 30 sheets are deliberately kept compact; the format invites intentional writing rather than accumulation of blank pages.

Technical Specifications