Hi, this is Hirano again.
Today’s featured item is...

Taut Zipped

Just how taut is it? Let’s compare it with a standard Zippers cover.
First, take a look at this.


Same Original size, but more compact.

Wow, so small! On the left is the Original-size cover, Taut Zipped (Cafe au Lait Plaid). And for comparison, on the right is mina perhonen / pomppia (Light Blue).

Looking at the actual numbers:
- Taut Zipped: 6.85" × 5.63" (174mm × 143mm)
- Zippers: 7.72" × 6.26" (196mm × 159mm)
That’s a difference of about 0.87" in height and 0.63" in width ー roughly the height of a 100-yen coin.

Now, let’s compare the thickness too.



Hmm, can you tell the difference in the photo? The Taut Zipped is 1.06" thick (27mm), while the Zippers is 1.18" thick (30mm). A slight 0.12" difference, but if you’ve used a Zippers cover before, I’d love for you to hold this one in your hands sometime.



Gripping it like this, I thought. “Wait, this feels thinner than what my hand remembers...” Back in 2014, I used a Zippers cover, but this one feels so much slimmer. Curious, I checked my old Zippers cover at home and realized ー it was stuffed full!


I had no idea I crammed this much in!

I used to paste all sorts of things into my Hobonichi Techo and stuff the pockets with even more. That’s just the kind of person I am ー if there’s a pocket, I’ll fill it. So for me, the difference felt way bigger than just 0.12".

The Taut Zipped is designed to stay compact, with fewer pockets to keep its sleek shape.


Two card pockets on the left side of the cover.


No pockets on the right, but you can tuck in small papers.

The inside is made with genuine leather, giving it a firmer structure. This stiffness helps keep it from bulking up. If you only need to carry a few documents or stationery items, this is a great choice for minimalists.

The Taut Zipped (Cafe au Lait Plaid) comes in both Original and Cousin sizes. There’s also a matching tote bag ー so you can load that one up instead!

See you next time!

---＊The Products Introduced ---
Taut Zipped (Cafe au Lait Plaid) A6 Original Size
Taut Zipped (Cafe au Lait Plaid) A5 Cousin Size
Tote Bag (Cafe au Lait Plaid)

Hello, this is Kawabata.

I want to introduce the "Tragen" planner cover. It has a simple and sleek look but features a trifold design with plenty of storage pockets. It’s perfect for those who want to carry stationery and cards along with their planner.

Until now, it was only available in black, but with the release of "Hobonichi Techo 2025 Spring," new colors ー Oakmoss and Red ー have arrived! More and more people in our office are using the new colors. I asked two of them, whose setups caught my attention, to share how they’re using their covers!

【Shirato’s Tragen Cover】
The first person is Shirato, who manages production for the planner team. What’s inside their Oakmoss Tragen cover...?



They carry a HON (A6), along with plenty of stationery and even a calculator! "The Tragen cover has pockets on the front, back, and inside, so as a stationery lover, I end up putting in a lot of things!"



Even when closed, the cover looks so neat. "I customized it with a Hobonichi monkey patch I got at the Hobonichi’s Joys of Life shopping event and a Sleepy Sheep keychain."



In the zippered front pocket, they keep pens, mini scissors, glue, a measuring tape ー and even a little 'snake' peeking out...! "This snake is actually a cord organizer for charger cables. The Tragen cover even fits bulkier items like this."





This cover has a magnetic closure. Taking advantage of that, Shirato keeps clips neatly stored inside the pocket. What a great idea!



"I was looking for a cover that fits the HON (A6), and the Tragen cover turned out to be perfect. In the card pockets on the left side, I store bandages, sticky notes, and cards."



In the easy-access back pocket, they keep frequently used items like a calculator, sticky notes, and a coaster.



【Ota’s Tragen Cover】
Next, I talked to Ota from the product team, who uses the other new color, Red! Ota mainly works on "weeksdays," a collection of various items created in collaboration with stylist Masako Ito and Hobonichi.





Ota has been with the company for 17 years. Though not part of the planner team, they’ve been using the Hobonichi Techo since 2003, before even joining the company. "I don’t really care about formats like the one-day-per-page or weekly left layouts ー I just pick the cover I like each year. This year, I instantly fell for the Paddington Weeks.

I never used a cover before and always carried my Weeks as is, but the Red Tragen released this spring was just too cute… So, I’m using a cover for the first time in a while. It goes perfectly with the Paddington cover!"



Ota likes to carry only the essentials. When I asked to see what’s inside, there were pens, sticky notes, business cards, message cards, and a "Hobonichi Template" featuring Coji-Coji (Loft exclusive). "I love how the Tragen cover lets me organize everything neatly while keeping it compact."



"I find the front pocket especially useful. Since it has a 'bottom,' pens and other items don’t fall to the back, making them easy to grab."



"Sometimes I even slip my phone into the back pocket. With this cover, I can carry my planner, stationery, business cards, and phone ? all my work essentials ー making it super convenient when I’m on the go. And this Red color ー just carrying it around lifts my mood, and I often get compliments on it, which makes me happy!"



Whether you like carrying lots of things with your planner or keeping it neatly organized, the Tragen cover is a great choice. Why not pair it with your favorite planner and give it a try?


The two of them just happened to be wearing outfits that matched their planner covers.

What will be featured in the next Planner News? Stay tuned to find out!

---＊The Products Introduced ---
Tragen (Oakmoss) ［A6 Original Size］
Tragen (Red)［Weeks Cover ］

Hello! This is Shioguchi.

Today, I’m showing a casual planner cover with an elastic band,
"Only is Not Lonely."



This planner cover is designed without the usual pockets or butterfly stoppers, making it incredibly lightweight and sleek to carry.


●Shioguchi’s Favorite Points!

(1) Very Slim



Without inner pockets, it stays thin and minimal.



There are no pockets, but you can tuck papers into the flap. And if you ever feel like you need more storage, the "Add-on Pocket" is a great option. Let’s compare it with a butterfly stopper-style cover.



This time, I compared it with a fabric cover. It’s noticeably slimmer!


(2) Super Light



The material is synthetic leather. It’s lightweight and easy to use, yet it has a refined look.


(3) Secure Elastic Band



This elastic band does an amazing job. It keeps your planner from opening in your bag and helps keep everything compact and neat.


(4) Simple & Minimal Design



I love the clean design that makes the cover’s message stand out. The gold-foil "ONLY IS NOT LONELY" text on the cover has a refined look, making it great for business settings too.



Inside, there’s a hidden message: "Happy Nothing Special Day!"

The cover comes in two sizes: Original (A6) and Cousin (A5).



Each size has a different color ー A6 is a deep green, while A5 is a chocolate brown.


●Perfect for These Users!

I especially recommend it for…

(1) "Day-Free" and "Avec Books" Users



It pairs perfectly with the already light and slim "Day-Free" and "Avec Books" planners.



Even with the cover on, it stays this thin! It feels great to use.


(2) Hobonichi Notebook Users



It also works great as a notebook cover.



Hobonichi notebooks that fit this cover come in graph, lined, and blank styles. I personally use it this way ー I keep an A5 graph notebook in this cover for work. It’s perfect for jotting down ideas and taking notes.



The one I use is actually last year’s model. It doesn’t take up space when left open on my desk, and when I move around for meetings, I can carry my notebook and pen together. Super convenient.

What will be the theme for the next "Great things about covers and stationary." Stay tuned!

---＊The Products Introduced ---
Only is Not Lonely （Ivy Green） ［A6 Original Size］
Only is Not Lonely （Chocolate） ［A5 Cousin Size］

Hey everyone! It’s Higashi.

Today, I want to introduce you to the Hobonichi Weekly Calendar 2025.



The Hobonichi Weekly Calendar 2025 is a vertical booklet that lets you see a whole week at a glance. It’s slightly smaller than A6 size, making it a great choice if you’re new to planners or if you need a little more writing space than your current one provides.

△ Each day has three ‘checkboxes’ and a ‘24-hour timeline.’
I tried using the Hobonichi Weekly Calendar for a week to keep a life log. Before I started writing, I divided the format and wrote down categories on the left.

Here are the six things I tracked:
・small wins
・weather
・breakfast
・lunch
・dinner
・sleep hours



That’s a full week of logging! It turns out you can write quite a lot. Can you believe it? By setting up sections, I actually found it easier to write freely ? it’s kind of a fun trick. Since I had a little extra space at the bottom, I added stickers to represent each day.

The key is to decide what you want to track first, then draw horizontal lines to create sections. Just doing these two things means you don’t have to think about what to write every day, making it easy to keep up with.

This booklet is also super thin ー only 4mm thick ー so it’s perfect for carrying around. You can store it with a notebook inside a planner cover...

△ I put my favorite ‘Foodry’ sticker on the cover.
Or slip it into the back pocket of a planner cover...



It even fits in the gap of a book cover.

△ No bulk even from the top view.
Try tucking it into different spots and take it with you wherever you go.

The Hobonichi Weekly Calendar comes in two versions: January-start and April-start. The April-start version begins from the week of Monday, March 31, making it a great option if you’re looking to start fresh in April.

We’ve got plenty more recommendations from the Hobonichi Techo Team, so stay tuned for next time!

---＊The Product Introduced ---
Hobonichi Weekly Calendar 2025

Hi, I’m Tsuruki.

Today, I want to introduce some SPY×FAMILY items.



There are so many SPY×FAMILY items! From planners to stationery, there’s a lot to choose from ー but today, I picked three cute and useful stationery items.

First up is the Mini Letter Memo Set.





This is a tiny palm-sized memo set featuring Anya and other characters. It folds into three, and the little cutouts ー shaped like a star (Stella) and a peanut ー let the illustrations peek through. So cute!


△ Look at how their faces peek through. Too cute!

You can give it to someone, or stick it in your planner.





It’s simply adorable and makes you happy. And since it has that little extra step of "opening," you can write something a bit embarrassing to leave behind ー without feeling too shy about it. Even just opening it is fun!

Next up is the Sparkling Sticker Set.


△ I wish I could capture how sparkly they are. They shine!

△ Comes in a slider case.

This set includes 15 stickers in various sizes, featuring different SPY×FAMILY scenes ー all in super sparkly designs. They’re so cute and shiny that I almost couldn’t bring myself to use them…



But because they’re so sparkly, I finally took the plunge and used one for a special plan ー and it really boosted my excitement!



The slider case they come in is also perfect for storing small items.

Last up is the Hobonichi Stencil ー SPY×FAMILY.





You’ve got to try this. When you trace the stencil, your pen naturally glides along the shape, which feels surprisingly nice. It makes drawing lines really fun.
And you can create adorable little illustrations, too.
The only tricky part is filling in the hole for the ‘P’ in the peanut ー but even that adds to the fun.

These SPY×FAMILY stationery items are easy to use and bring a little extra joy to your daily planner time. Highly recommended!

---＊The Products Introduced ---
Mini Letter Memo Set

Sparkling Sticker Set

Hobonichi Stencil ー SPY×FAMILY

Hi, I'm Hirano from Techo Team.

The weather in Tokyo is still all over the place, but it’s starting to feel more like spring. Sometimes, it suddenly goes back to winter, which can really throw off your body, but that just gives you more to write about in your journal.

This series is where crew from the Hobonichi Techo team share the great things of covers and stationery. Today, I'm introducing a Weeks that’s perfect for spring ー ”Cherry.”



The Bow & Tie series, made with woven fabric used for neckties, has been a staple for over 10 years. The design changes every year, and this year's ”Cherry” has a watercolor-like feel to it.

Let's take a closer look. Zooming in…



The details are just stunning. I've been in charge of writing about the Bow & Tie series every year, and when I saw this fabric, I thought, ”Wow, they’ve really taken it to the next level!” The cherries have the perfect shape, complete with shading, and even the leaves and flowers are carefully detailed. The fabric’s base is light blue, and the other threads used are green, red, dark red, white, brown, and yellow. Just six colors, yet the level of detail is incredible.

Since this series is made by cutting from a large woven fabric, every single cover has a different pattern. Let’s line up three of them for comparison.



From a distance, they may look the same, but if you take a closer look, you’ll see the differences. When you get yours, be sure to check it out. Some covers have cherries overlapping the ”2025” on the front, while others might have cherry blossoms on the spine. No two are exactly alike.

Now, let’s take a look at how this fabric is made ー here’s the back side.



Look at all those colorful threads. It’s like a river flowing across the entire fabric, not just where the cherries are. Even if you only saw the back, you wouldn’t be able to guess what the front looks like. Even if you get up close, turn it sideways, touch the threads, or even try pulling on them, it’s hard to figure out how these threads come together to form the cherry pattern. But then, I thought about it in terms of swimming, and it suddenly made sense.

Swimming? What does that have to do with anything?
Okay, hear me out.

Imagine six swimmers in the same lane of a pool. Got the image? Now, all of them are underwater. Each swimmer is wearing a different colored cap:
1 = Green, 2 = Red, 3 = Dark Red, 4 = White, 5 = White, 6 = Yellow.
They’re all swimming in the same lane, but their breathing times are different. When they come up for air ー ”Pwah!” ー that’s when we see their caps from above. And that moment of breathing, that’s the color we see on the front of the fabric appears


The texture comes from using so many threads.

For the ”Cherry” pattern, red and green are used a lot. But the yellow thread, which is only in the center of the flowers, is like a swimmer who stays underwater most of the time. That’s why it stands out more on the back. Whether a color is used a lot or just a little, the length of thread needed is always the same.

This explanation helped me understand it, but I wonder if it makes sense to you… You don’t have to get the technical details, but it’s not often you get to see the back of a fabric like this. I hope this gives you a sense of just how intricate the weaving process is. If you ever get your hands on a Bow & Tie cover, try imagining what the back looks like too!

We’ll keep sharing our favorite covers and stationery in this series, so stay tuned for more.

---＊The Product Intorduced---
Bow & Tie / Cherry Weeks

Hello, this is Iwasawa from Techo Team.

Today, we’re starting a new series, “Great things about covers and stationery.” Now that we’ve been using our 2025 techo and stationery for a few months, there’s even more we want to share! We want you to know! So, the Techo Team will be sharing what makes each item special.

First up, I’ll be introducing the Masamune Kusano × junaida Weeks, “Through the Purple Night.”



Look at this artwork! It’s a mysterious purple forest, but if you look closely, you’ll spot animals like cats, deer, and horses (even a snail!), along with planets and beautiful flowers, all painted in watercolor. This illustration was originally created for the picture and poetry book “Himitsu Stranger.” The book features stories illustrated by junaida, each inspired by the lyrics of songs written by Masamune Kusano from Spitz’s album “Himitsu Studio.”

When I first heard about the book’s release, I felt excited to see a collaboration between Spitz and junaida, two of my favorite artists.


Right: The illustrated songbook “Himitsu Stranger.” It’s a little worn from being read so much.

And when I finally saw the book, all I could say was, “Whoa… this is amazing.” Seeing the lyrics in visual form made the songs feel even bigger. I’d listen to the album while flipping through the book, or just enjoy the songs on their own, or get lost in the artwork by itself. Every time I looked or listened, I’d find something new that made my heart race.

And now, the title illustration for “Through the Purple Night” from that book has become the cover of this Weeks. The artwork is printed on a fabric cover that feels like canvas, so you can carry a piece of that book’s world with you every day.


You can really see the brushstrokes of the watercolor painting.

I asked Hoshino, who’s been using this techo for work every day, what she thinks of it.



“I’ve always loved “Through the Purple Night” as a song, and I like how just catching a glimpse of it while working gives me a little boost of courage. This Weeks also comes with a matching pencil board, so I love that I can have more of its world with me when I use my techo.”


Always by Hoshino’s computer.

Yes! This Weeks comes with an original pencil board, too.


The design of the pencil board set: the front is on the left, and the back is on the right.

We didn’t just want to stop at the cover; we wanted you to experience more of junaida’s artwork. So, we went all in and made it a set. The pencil board design is taken from the book’s illustrations, bringing you even closer to the song’s world. This beautiful Weeks feels like an invitation to a new world. I hope you’ll enjoy it with its special pencil board!

---＊The Product Introduced ---
Masamune Kusano x junaida / Through the Purple Night (Weeks)

Hello, everyone!
I’m Komata from Techo Team.

This series, where each member of the Techo Team introduced their personal picks, comes to an end today.

I used to be a Weeks user, but when my favorite manga, ONE PIECE, came out as a techo in 2023, I switched over. I've been using the ONE PIECE techo for the past two years, and I’m sticking with it in 2025 too!



For the main book, I chose the
「Japanese Original Book - One Piece Edition (January Start)」.

I was also really tempted by the
ONE PIECE magazine DON!,
but this year, I decided to go with a basic paper-cover book and pair it with the
「ONE PIECE magazine Going Merry Logbook」 cover.



The sleek black leather cover gives it a classy feel, and the Going Merry’s face shining on it looks so cool! Having a leather cover somehow makes me feel a bit more put together. I’m looking forward to setting sail in 2025 with the Going Merry!

The book on the right in the photo is my
「5-Year Techo」, now in its eighth year.
I’m on the third row of my second book. I keep this one at home as my diary. I also love my
Leather Cover (Red),
which gets more character as the years go by.

＊ ＊ ＊

Now, for my ONE PIECE techo,
I’ll be using some fun stationery to make planning even more exciting. For schedule icons, I’ll press the
「Pochitto6 (One Piece)」...



For writing friends’ birthdays, I’ll use the Vivre Card section of the
「Hobonichi Stencil - One Piece」...



And just stamping the
「Stamp it with Gusto - DON!! Stamp」
on my page gave me a boost of energy for the new year!
Loving it!!





Flipping through my January pages, I spotted phrases like
“Don’t catch a cold” and “The mochi’s in there!!” Perfect for this season.





The 2025 ONE PIECE techo is packed with quotes that made people laugh, cry, and feel deeply, collected through
a reader survey.
I can already tell this year will be an emotional rollercoaster?laughing, crying, and getting inspired with every page turn!



The series My Chosen Hobonichi Techo 2025 introduced so many different techos. Thank you for reading all the way through!

I hope your 2025 is a fulfilling year with the Hobonichi Techo you chose. Let’s enjoy our techo life together!

Hello! This is Hirano from Techo Team.

These are the three Hobonichi Techo planners I picked for this year:



- Hobonichi Techo Original
- HON A6
- Weeks

This combo feels just right for me, and I just realized ー it's been three years in a row now!

◯ The Original for work and home



I use this planner mainly for work, but honestly, it’s also the one I use the most randomly. I keep it in my laptop bag, jot down meeting notes, and slip in shop cards I get at stores. There are also little drawings from my kid, ticket stubs from family outings ー basically, everything from work to home life goes in here.

When choosing a cover, I tend to go for ones with pockets on the inside back. They’re great for stickers I might use later, leaflets, or work documents ー things I want to grab quickly. If I had to name this pocket, I’d call it the “just-in-case pocket.”　I have this habit of keeping things that might come in handy someday (even if they never actually do). It’s been like that forever, so I just roll with it.

That’s why I picked a cover with a back pocket this year too. The Herringbone (Ivory x Black) cover caught my attention, especially since I worked on its product description.

At first, when I saw it among the full lineup, I thought,“Oh, just a simple striped cover.” But when I held the actual sample, I totally changed my mind. The texture was so soft and nice to the touch that I immediately thought, “Okay, this might be the one for next year.”
The herringbone pattern has a lot of character and a timeless design.

◯ Year three with my "HON A6" diary



Ever since HON debuted, I’ve been keeping a diary, and it’s become a habit.

I write for work now, but as a kid, I hated diaries. I always thought diary entries and book reports had a set formula, like “Today, I ate a hamburger.” Ugh, so boring.

I admired people who could keep a diary, but at some point, I realized ー when it’s just for myself, writing a diary is actually pretty fun.

More than half of my entries are reflections on my day, but I don’t write them to be useful or anything.　It’s just interesting to look back later and see how I felt at the time.

Now I write for my future days, months, or even years ahead. Because today’s feelings can only be written today.

HON has been the perfect dedicated diary for me. I also wanted to use a special ONE PIECE edition for either my work planner or diary, so I picked
"ONE PIECE magazine / DON!".

◯ The Weeks for notes and to-dos



At Hobonichi, we have a company-wide meeting every week. I use my Weeks to take notes on what talks about, and the weekly format fits that rhythm perfectly.

For me, the memo space on the right side of the weekly spread is for meeting notes, and on the left, I write down all the to-dos I need to get done by that day.

Weeks also has lots of memo pages in the back, so I use those for notes during interviews ー quick scribbles of things I really don’t want to forget.

For my 2025 Weeks, I chose
Naoki Ishikawa Denali in the Midnight Sun #1.

I considered a few options, but in the end, I just wanted something cool.

◯ Looking back at my past choices

I keep my old planners in my locker at work, so I stacked them up on my desk.



I’ve used the Hobonichi Techo Original for a long time, and it’s so thick now that it wouldn’t stay balanced on top.

Looking at my past covers, I noticed a trend ー early on, I mostly used polyester covers, but over the years, I’ve been picking more cotton ones.
From the 2020 “Calm Down” cover to 2025, four out of five have been cotton.
Hmm… what should I pick for 2026?



As for my Weeks, looking at just the spines, I realized I’ve been choosing pretty muted colors. Maybe it was to match my brown passport cover from a few years back?

This year, I went with a Naoki Ishikawa photo cover for the first time. No wonder it feels so fresh!

2025 has already begun, but the January-start editions are still available! If you're thinking of getting one, now’s a great time.

Next time will be the final installment of our Hobonichi Techo team’s picks. Thanks for reading!

Hello!
This is Shiori from the Techo Team.

Have you all started using your new techo yet?
After much deliberation, here’s the Hobonichi Techo I picked!


・For work: MOTHER / You come buying? You can sell, too.
・Cover: Taut Zipped (Cafe au Lait Plaid)
・For input: Beautiful Wallpaper



I’ve been using HON for work for the past two years, but I also want to use a cover!
HON doesn’t really fit inside a cover... but I’m making it work by slipping it in halfway.

▲ It actually works pretty well!

This is my first time choosing a MOTHER design for HON!
I was drawn to the deep green color and the glossy print of the Mr. Saturn shop sign.

▲ Paired with some lottery prize goodies I worked hard to get.

For my input Weeks, I went with Yumi Kitagishi’s Beautiful Wallpaper.
The colorful illustrations pop beautifully against the soft gray background.
Kitagishi’s cats always have the cutest expressions!
I can’t wait to use it alongside the stamp I got at her exhibition.


For TOOLS & TOYS, I got the
Hobonichi Stamp Set and
Handy Petit Microscope,


along with my favorite stationery, all neatly stored in the fan-favorite
Alettone Document Case.
It was hard to pick a color, but for my first one, I went with olive!

▲ The dividers come in handy! Everything stays nice and organized.

I tried out the Hobonichi Stamp Set on my December monthly calendar (aka deadline city), but...
I should’ve put more thought into the ink and pen colors. Lesson learned!


Lately, I’ve been loving these stamps?
I stamp GOOD for 10km walks and AMAZING for 20km walks!


I’m still deciding on which pencil boards to get, so I’ll be picking those up little by little.
See you in the next update!