Model Kanoco loved to write ever since she was in elementary school. She has used the Hobonichi Techo for 6 years now. When we asked her why she continues to use it, the word “especially” seems to be the key. When the little things in everyday life tend to pass away, she “especially” takes time out of her day to reflect upon herself and write in her techo.
Photography: Chihaya Kaminokawa
Writer: Yoshiro Sugahara
Kanoco
Born in Hyogo prefecture. Models for fashion magazines. Has a serious love for polar bears and her polar bear plush toy collection currently adds up to 80.
- ──
- I heard that you’re a long-time user of the Hobonichi Techo.
- Kanoco
- I’ve been using it for 6 years now.
My favorite is the Steiff planner with the teddy bear mark on
the front. This planner is made in collaboration with
Arts&Science, right?
- ──
- Yes, that's right.
It's a product we worked on with Arts&Science since
the 2013 edition, and from the 2018 edition we started to
collaborate with Steiff as well.
- Kanoco
- Arts&Science and Steiff are brands I both adore.
My mother also likes to write, so I buy and
send her one every year as well.
- ──
- Since when did you start to write?
- Kanoco
- Since my parents were both teachers, pens and paper
were both close to me and so I’ve written since I was in
elementary school. I didn't have any schedules to
jot down because I was only a child, but because
I loved to write, I kept a diary.
I use the Hobonichi Techo in the same way;
I use it as a diary.
What I write hasn't changed a lot since then.
- ──
- It hasn't changed since you were in elementary school?
- Kanoco
- No, it hasn't. (Laughs)
- ──
- What kind of things have you written in it?
- Kanoco
- I can't show any of my entries to anyone;
it's a secret I keep to myself.
- ──
- Now that I hear that,
I'm intrigued to know.
- Kanoco
- For example,
it acts as an outlet to all my worries and stuff about work.
I don't really worry about things in a negative way,
but I want to make sure everything is heading towards
a better direction, and I write down those
thoughts in my diary.
- ──
- For example,
what kind of words have you written in your techo?
- Kanoco
- On this day I've written
“live everyday peacefully with a passion”
on my work as a model. (Laughs)
Since working as a model tends to be passive,
I have to actively work on things.
I want to remain peaceful and calm,
while still burning with a passion.
I came to Tokyo to become a model,
so I don't want that initial passion to fade away...
I guess I wrote down those kinds of feelings
as a reminder to myself.
- ──
- I see you're a very passionate person.
- Kanoco
- Exactly. (Laughs) That's why I can't show my techo to anyone.
- ──
- Do you write in your techo at home?
- Kanoco
- Actually,
I don't really write down entries at home.
I use cafes instead.
- ──
- Cafes?
- Kanoco
- I want to especially take time out of my day
and dedicate that to write in my techo.
I also use this time to write letters to my friends
and clear my thoughts.
I dedicate two hours of my day,
a few times a week.
I like that feeling of especially spending
my time to do so.
- ──
- That's such a lovely way to spend your time.
- Kanoco
- By slowing down my thought processes and acting upon it,
I can live everyday stress-free. I sometimes even go to a
cafe and spend an hour to think about what to make for
dinner that night.
- ──
- It seems that you're good
at taking breaks from your busy job.
- Kanoco
- It's not always like that -
there are days I spend watching TV dramas
all day long. (Laughs)
- ──
- Can I ask you why you use a techo in a
smartphone-dependent time?
- Kanoco
- Even though we're in the age of smartphones,
I've never drifted apart from writing in a techo...
I think writing in a smartphone takes away the feeling of
“especially” taking time out of my day.
I believe that you can reflect upon yourself by
writing in a techo. You can rearrange your thoughts,
and writing often helps me realize my subconscious
thoughts, too.
- ──
- I see.
- Kanoco
- My techo isn't for work and is really just a diary.
It's so easy to forget what happens day to day.
I think it's important to hold onto those precious moments
that are so easy to forget and keep them in my memory.
That’s why I especially take time out of my day
to write in my techo.
- ──
- You like to keep and treasure those little things
that happen in your everyday life.
- Kanoco
- My mother always told me that the purpose of life is to
make memories, so I treasure my memories as well.
By writing in a techo, it feels as if those memories
stay within me, or otherwise my techo acts as a reminder.
I don’t think smartphones will work the same way.
- ──
- You’ve kept a blog over the years, too.
- Kanoco
- I’ve written it for like 10 years.
It’s something I started before becoming a model,
so I’ve written absolutely everything.
To be honest, I want to erase my entries since it’s
embarrassing.
I also do Instagram, Twitter, the whole lot.
- ──
- Is posting on your social media account different to writing
in your techo?
- Kanoco
- The are no lies to the things I write on social media,
but at the same time, those words are meant for someone else,
so it’s not that I express myself 100%...
- ──
- I see
- Kanoco
- I guess… my techo is the only place I write down words
that are within me, if that makes sense. Because we’re in
a time when we use our smartphones to write on
social media, I want to write things for myself…
that’s what my techo means to me.
- ──
- You’ve pasted things and drawn pictures in your techo, too.
- Kanoco
- I often paste tickets and newspaper cutouts.
The pictures I draw… It’s hard to say they’re
drawings to be honest. (Laughs)
I don't draw with the intention to show someone,
but it's more that I draw to try to record an image.
- ──
- You’ve slipped in a few things in the pocket of
your techo cover, too.
- Kanoco
- This is a photo with my mom, and this is a bookmark
my dad made me. Here's an illustration Akira Minagawa
drew for me. At a photoshoot, he instructed me to
draw on a mole on a particular part of my face,
and I couldn’t help but ask if I can have
that drawing. (Laughs)
And this photo is when I modelled for the first time,
this one’s from my first cover shoot…
- ──
- You’ve packed in so many important memories.
- Kanoco
- Exactly. Oh look, here’s a picture of
a polar bear. (Laughs)
- ──
- Thank you so much for sharing
your techo with us today.
（End）
2019-12-01-SUN
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Do you have a reason for using the techo despite being able to use a smartphone for schedule management and note-taking? Let us know!
We’d love for you to post on Instagram (via standard post or Stories) and Twitter with the hashtag #whytecho. We’ll be featuring some of those posts in this article.
