Kokuyo Notebook Perpanep Tsuru Tsuru - ultra-smooth (A5, 3mm squared)

The Kokuyo Perpanep Tsuru Tsuru is a notebook designed entirely around a single paper quality: an extremely smooth, machine-calendered, ivory-coloured surface at 96 g/m² that makes ink appear deep and saturated. The name Perpanep is a play on words combining "Pen" and "Paper" – and it's precisely this interplay that sits at the heart of the series. In A5 format with a 3 mm grid, the notebook lies completely flat on the table without needing a hand to hold it down.

Features

• Tsuru-Tsuru paper, 96 g/m²: The surface is machine-pressed for maximum smoothness. Nibs glide across the page with no resistance whatsoever – no catching on paper fibres, no perceptible friction. Stub nibs and flex nibs in particular achieve their full character, because the uniform surface renders every change in stroke weight cleanly.
• Ink behaviour: The paper emphasises shading and sheen from fountain pen inks far more than rougher papers. Wet inks dry quickly; show-through and ghosting are not to be expected with standard fountain pen inks.
• 3 mm grid in pale grey: The fine grid on the ivory background is visible enough to guide your hand, yet visually recedes as you write. The tight 3 mm spacing suits detailed handwriting, technical sketches and map drawing.
• Thread binding with gauze spine – lies completely flat: The muslin (cheesecloth) spine allows the notebook to lie fully open on both sides. Because no gap forms down the centre, the opened A5 notebook can also be used as a continuous A4 format.
• Recycled cardboard cover: The understated grey cover is made from recycled board; the inner paper comes from certified forest sources. Minimalist design with only subtle lettering.

Use & Tips

• Fountain pens with fine to broad nibs: Tsuru-Tsuru paper is Kokuyo's smoothest paper ever and was developed specifically for fine liners and fountain pens. Particularly rewarding: inks with pronounced shading or sheen – both effects stand out distinctly on this surface.
• Stub nib and calligraphy: If you write with a stub nib or flex-cut nib, you'll feel every pressure point precisely on Tsuru-Tsuru paper. The absence of friction allows fast, light-pressure writing without fatigue.
• Technical drawings and mapping: The 3 mm grid provides a denser guide structure than standard 5 mm grids – ideal for to-scale sketches, floor plans or diagrams. The completely flat-lying format makes drawing precise lines right to the spine easier.
• Note for pencil users: Because the surface is extremely smooth, graphite strokes don't grip as well. Pencils and mechanical pencils produce rather lighter, less saturated lines on Tsuru-Tsuru paper – for these writing instruments, the Sara-Sara or Zara-Zara papers from the Perpanep range are better suited.
• Coloured inks with vibrant pigments: Inks with shimmer particles (sheen inks) display their metallic lustre particularly impressively on the smooth, low-absorbency surface.

For Paper Enthusiasts

Tsuru-Tsuru paper is a coated or highly calendered quality – so it behaves differently from uncoated writing papers: ink is not immediately absorbed deep into the fibre matrix but lingers briefly on the surface before soaking in. This is why shading and sheen are more visible than on more absorbent papers. If you work with very wet nibs or large ink quantities (broad stub nibs, flex nibs under heavy pressure), allow short drying times before running your hand over the writing. At 96 g/m², Tsuru-Tsuru paper is the heaviest of the three Perpanep varieties – correspondingly opaque, with minimal show-through.

Technical Specifications