Hello! I’m Shioguchi from the Techo Team. Are you enjoying the Hobonichi Techo Reflections?

In 2025, I used three Weeks books.



(1) For work
(2) For personal life
(3) For oshikatsu (a Stan journal!)

Let’s take a look back at each one.

(1) Work

This year, I switched my main work techo to a Weeks—and it fit me perfectly. It turned out to be incredibly comfortable and easy to use.
My system is very simple. I manage my schedule digitally on my computer, so my techo is mainly for task management and notes.



At the start of the week, I write out everything I need to do on the right page, then distribute those tasks across the left pages by day. Because I can see the whole week at a glance—and because I’m not writing too much—I never found myself thinking, “I’m too busy to write in my techo.” In fact, when I was busiest, this setup helped me manage my tasks more efficiently.

This is definitely how I’ll keep using it next year.

(2) Personal

For my personal techo, I used a PAMM Weeks. I mainly used it for scheduling and general notes. Since I moved this year, there were so many administrative tasks and decisions to make, so I ended up taking lots of notes to not forget anything.



I also had more meetings outside than usual, and because I carried it with me everywhere, the compact size of the Weeks was incredibly convenient.

(3) Oshikatsu (My Stan journal!)

This was a techo I decided to try on a whim this year. For the first time ever, I made a planner just for the things I love—only fun things, nothing else. And honestly. . . it was so much fun.

Up until now, my techos were always about schedules and tasks, so I’d never really used one like this before. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep it up, so I hesitated at first—but decided to give it a try. I figured a one-page-per-day techo would feel overwhelming, so I started with a Weeks instead. That turned out to be the perfect choice for a beginner like me.

I filled it with things like: my favorite artist’s schedule, concert and event memories, photos, receipts from merch purchases, and basically everything related to them.




△ I kept invoices from online purchases too. . . so my spending is fully visible. It's daunting, but maybe I’ll total it all up before the year ends. . .

I’m not very good at decorating, so I kept it simple: lots of photos, and memories written with just one black pen. But I’m really happy with how it turned out.

△ It might be hard to tell, but this is the chunkiest my techo has ever been.

As the techo grew thicker, it felt like it was filling up with happy memories—and that made me really glad. Trying new things really does lead to new discoveries. I enjoyed this so much that I plan to continue using it the same way next year.

***

Actually, during my recent Techo Kaigi, I wrote about combining techos (2) and (3) into one and planning to use just two Weeks next year. But while writing this article and reflecting on the year, I realized I actually do want to keep them separate—so I ended up adding another Weeks. . . !

△ A last-minute addition! Two Black Gingham Weeks for 2026.

Next year, I want to write a lot and enjoy myself even more.


△ And finally, the star stationery items that supported my planner time this year.

Taking the time to look back at the end of the year really is a nice thing to do.

Tune back in tomorrow for another members techo reflection!

Hey everyone, it's Liam from the Techo Team. It's nearly Christmas, have you got all your presents wrapped? Come and take a little break from the festivities and join me on my techo reflection.

Here are the techos I used this year:

I used an Original for work and a Cousin as my personal diary. Can you see them?

First of all, I'd like to take this opportunity to say "Thankyou Hobonichi Techo." Many of you may not know, but I've had a massive change this year, I joined Hobonichi! Because of that, this year became more “techo-filled” than any before. (Which makes all these blank pages rather mysterious... doesn’t it?)
Now with the thanks out of the way, allow me to introduce two of my favorite pages from this year.



If chocolate isn't chocolate, then what is it?

This may not resonate much unless you grew up in the UK, but do you know a snack called a Penguin? It’s been around forever—the kind of small reward you’d find tucked into a school lunchbox. That Penguin, however, can no longer call itself “chocolate.” Due to market conditions and the rising cost of cocoa, the amount used had to be reduced. The moment I heard that news, I must have hurriedly scribbled it down—half shocked, half exasperated. I don’t usually write in English in my techo, so realizing that this was the thing that made me do it gave me a quiet chuckle.

Apparently, if cocoa falls below a certain percentage, calling something “chocolate” is legally off-limits. I won’t get into the details here, but there’s one thing I want to say.

What a strange time we live in.
Something that had been “chocolate” since childhood—something that carried decades of identity—can suddenly let it all go, and quietly change.

Sure, it could be the inevitable result of late-stage capitalism or inflation or maybe it’s just the mood of the times.

Even the things we assume are unshakable can change before we notice. Perhaps, one day if I went home to the UK, there wouldn't be any 'home' left for me to go back to.



Thank you Jazz

In fact, even that home has undergone a big change whilst I've been away. This year, our beloved dog Jazz passed away. Another presence that was absolute—suddenly gone.
She hadn’t been in perfect health for some time, and while my mother was away on a long trip, she seemed terribly lonely. Still, Jazz endured. She waited, and waited. And a few days after being reunited with Mum, she quietly passed on.

This is the page from the day I received that news.

Being so far away, I sometimes wonder if I have the right to say this at all. But from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for holding on for Mum. You'll never understand how important that was for her.

I couldn’t say anything directly, so I poured all that gratitude and loneliness into this single page of my techo.

Within this page, you are still alive.
Within these words, too. I never imagined that not being able to say a proper goodbye would hurt this much and even now, it doesn’t quite feel real. But, while my cheeks are still warm with tears, let me add one more—but not final—“thank you.”

Your huge size only emphasizes the void that remains in your absence.
Thank you, Jazz.


In memory of Jazz.

Looking back, this year was filled with change.
Where I live.
How I work.
My family.
Even the country I grew up in.

Thanks to this Techo Reflection, I feel like I can finally understand—even if just a little—why I’m on this plane, heading to the UK right now, like a single puzzle piece clicking into place.

Jazz.
Hobonichi Techo.
Thank you for everything. Let's keep going into next year, too.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

This turned out more self-indulged and sad than I expected but there will be more cheerful posts from other team members again tomorrow.

Hello again. I’m Kawamura, a relative newcomer to the Techo Team.

As the year winds down, it feels like one get together after another. My right hand's on the verge of tendonitis from clutching all these sake cups... but let me take a break for my Techo Reflection.

■My 100: Just a few more to go

My main planner this year was the HON (A6).
In the bonus My 100 pages, I started—back in January 2025—writing down the films I watched, the theaters where I saw them, and occasionally a very subjective rating.

Only four films left to reach 100.

I’ve been recording the movies I watch in a notebook for about 25 years now.
Back in the day, I used to keep the stubs from advance tickets—but movie tickets these days are rather soulless...

I usually watch around 150 new releases a year, so I grumbled, “Only 100? That’s not enough... oh well,” as I started writing. And yet—here I am at 96 films. Turns out, 100 was enough.

Still, I missed plenty of movies, there's so many I wanted to see! Maybe I worked a little too much this year...

■Making frequent use of the Favorites page

I also decided to use the Favorites page to record plays, rakugo performances, and various events.

Four pages come standard. I added ten more.

Since I write things down whenever they occur to me, the entries aren’t in chronological order. Before I knew it, the pages were full, so I printed out extra sheets from Download City and pasted them in to expand the section. I also started listing the books I’ve read—or am halfway through reading.

So far, I’ve attended 60 performances and read 77 books. That number will probably climb a bit more. I thought I’d been working nonstop this year... but it turns out I was having quite a lot of fun, too.

By the end of the book, my techo had practically turned into a Favorites notebook. I enjoyed it so much that next year, I’m thinking of starting right from January and steadily keeping it up.

■So satisfying to see it all!

I also discovered the simple pleasure of visualizing things.

On the Time Table pages, I started recording my radio listening schedule—specifically, how much time I spend listening via radiko.

Written in FriXion pen so I can update it when programs change.

...I had suspected it, but now it’s obvious: from the moment I wake up until I fall asleep, my ears are ruled by the radio. Does this mean I’m not actually working that much after all!? In any case, I plan to keep listening next year, too.

■Keeping my techo on the desk at all times

I leave my techo open on my desk so I can write in it anytime. Once I did that, I found there were endless things to jot down—tiny details I’d definitely forget, sudden realizations, notes for interviews and writing assignments, and more.

Of course, I also use my phone’s memo app, but one nice thing about a paper planner is that it doesn’t show fingerprints.

Alongside my most-used pens. Since this is a work techo, weekends tend to stay blank.

And with that, I’ll wrap up my Techo Reflection here—because tonight, I’m heading off to another real-life New Years party.

I’ll leave it at that.

Hello, I'm Fujimori.
I usually invite 5-10 people to my End of Year parties, so I wasn't sure how to throw one by myself, and attempted to talk to my family about it...

Family A "I don't get it."
Family B "Yeah, I don't really have the time..."

And so, here I am, arranging my favorite toys to create a party vibe. Let's start!


△My Chili Pepper Weeks—it was love at first sight.

As I was facing my computer screen, with my toys to one side, Family C came and said "I can help if it's quick."

Family C:
So, how did you use your techo?
Fujimori:
I hardly used it at all this year.


△ It's practically brand-new. There's only a few notes in it.

Family C:
Hmm... And what are everyone else's like?
Fujimori:
Their techos are all amazing. Everyone's used them as diaries, or note taking, they write their feelings, thoughts, or log what they're reading. There's so much variety.

There's this one page where I tried out something someone else had done.



Family C:
Ah! I remember that pound cake, it was so good, right?! So that's where the wrapper went. Did you write anything? Maybe something like "Tasty!"?
Fujimori:
I wrote something, but I erased it.
Family C:
Why? Were you embarrassed?
Fujimori:
Maybe, or maybe I just didn't like my handwriting.
Family C:
What's so difficult about writing?
Fujimori:
When I try to write sentences, my vision gets blury and I struggle. I can't relax. Last year, I managed to write lots of notes and things though.
Family C:
I see.
Fujimori:
But y'know, the other day I bought some glasses and found out the real reason. It seems I'm just farsighted. I'm getting old.
Family C:
Hmm...
Fujimori:
Understanding that the reason I didn't write in my techo, was because it was difficult to see for the past 11 months, helped me to stop worrying about it.
I think I'll be able to try again next year.
Family C:
That's good.


△I'll be fine next year as long as I have this.

Thanks to Family C, I managed to have my End of Year Reflection. And with my new lens prescription, I've even started writing in December!
Next is finding a prescription for my fickle personality (I get bored easily), but that's next years problem.

Thanks for reading, and please check back again tomorrow for another members End of Year Reflection

Hi, it’s Aizawa from the Techo Team.
This is a Techo End-of-Year Reflection... but honestly, I haven’t used my techo enough to feel like I can really reflect on it. Still, I knew I had to write something, so I opened my techo for the first time in a while and flipped through the pages.

This is the techo I’m using:


The iyo okumi Hobonichi 5-Year Techo Gift Edition haconiwa

■ How much did I write?

Thinking, "I haven’t written nearly enough to really look back on...," I reluctantly opened to the January pages—and to my surprise, they were fairly full!
Nice one, past me!

So I decided to calmly and mathematically review the numbers.

Month Pages filled (Completion)
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Jan　　31　　(100%)
Feb　　28　　(100%)
Mar　　23　　(74%)
Apr　　23　　(76%)　
May　　18　　(58%)
Jun　　9 　　(30%)
Jul　　13　　(41%)
Aug　　10　　(32%)
Sep　　9 　　(30%)
Oct　　19　　(61%)
Nov　　1 　　(3%)
Dec　　0 　　(0%)
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Total: 184 pages/365 days

When I added everything up, I was genuinely surprised. It turns out my techo is 50.4% filled.


This is the only page I wrote in November. I hesitated counting it as 1, but it's definitely not 0 so...!

There are actually six months where I filled more than half the pages:
January, February, March, April, May, and October.

I’d been getting down in the dumps telling myself, “I haven’t written at all,” but looking back like this, I realized it’s really just the last two months where I didn’t write. I’m glad I did this reflection.

What I found out from this reflection
・I thought "I haven't written anything at all..." but I actually often had.
・If I don't write for over two months, I completely lose the habit of writing.
・Looking back over the techo makes me want to write more!

Today is the 18th of December. There's 14 days left till the end of the year, so I think I'm going to try and fill in 14 pages in December. Nonchalantly filling out the blank pages during the New Years holiday sounds like fun too.


This is the page I liked the most. I just stuck in all the things I made that evening. I can easily remember all the things I did.
(Text reads: Rice porridge & Katsudon

Thank you for reading, and please check back again tomorrow, as another team member will be sharing their Techo End of Year Reflection!

Hello. I’m Asako from the Techo Team.
This year, I used three different techo planners.

Weeks Mega → for work
Day-Free → for pasting things in
5-Year Techo → as a diary

From the top going clockwise: Day-Free, 5-Year Techo, Weeks Mega.

Among them, the 5-Year Techo is actually my second one, following the 2020?2024 edition—meaning this is my sixth year using it. And for the first time, I managed to write in it every single day!



I was so happy about that, I thought I’d use this End of Year Reflection to look back on what helped me keep it going.

I tried to take a photo that said “I wrote every day!”, but I’m not sure it quite worked.

Decide what to write each day

Starting this year, I decided in advance that I would always write the day’s weather, temperature, and what I ate. Having that baseline made it much easier to turn writing into a habit.

This is how I write the weather and temperature.

I write my diary in chronological order, so having “meals” as a fixed anchor helps. Between meals, I fill in what happened or what I was thinking, and before I know it, the page is full.
“Breakfast was this, then I took it easy for a bit, went to work at 11, had a meeting, thought about this, and for lunch I ate that...”—that kind of flow.
I like food, so centering my entries around meals made it easier to keep going.

I didn’t let breaks pile up

You might think that continuing every day simply means writing every day—but that wasn’t actually the case.

I usually write in my 5-Year Techo at night, but sometimes I lose to sleepiness. On those nights, I choose to just go to bed without writing. The difference this year was that I limited how long I let things pile up—no more than two or three days, instead of a whole week like before. That made it much easier to pick things back up without getting discouraged. When you do fall behind, I recommend starting with today’s entry, not the day you missed. Today’s memories are the freshest in your mind, so are easier to write about. As for what to write about...

Leave memos for yourself

When writing about the slightly more distant past, I struggle to get motivated when I don’t have anything to latch onto.
That's why I started leaving myself quick memos and casually placing them on my desk. I was surprised by how helpful they turned out to be for my future self.



They’re very rough notes, but the difference between having them and not having them is huge. You might wonder why not just write directly in the 5-Year Techo—but for some reason, I like to write in it only when I feel mentally ready. Having even a small hint or guide makes starting again much easier.
Honestly, this might have been the single best thing I did this year.

…

So far, I’ve been reflecting on why I was able to write every day this year. Along the way, I realized I’d picked up some tips from my first 5-Year Techo too, and this started to feel a bit like a how-to article—so I decided to just go with it.

Sorry if these feel more like common-sense tips than big revelations.



Don’t put it away

I write in my 5-Year Techo in bed every night. In the first year, I stored it on a shelf a few steps away from the bed. Sure, it was organized, but it didn't help my consistency.
Especially on winter nights, once you’re under the covers, you really don’t want to get out. I’d realize I hadn’t written yet, hesitate because it was cold... and then the sun would have risen.
So I started keeping my techo right next to the bed, somewhere I could reach even after getting cozy. Once I did that, it immediately became easier to keep going.
Accessibility really matters.

Use the same pen

Choosing which pen to use is part of the fun but when writing every day, I learned that too many choices can get in the way.
This year, I used the same pen throughout: a Juice Up 0.38mm in brown.

Quietly satisfying: finishing a pen completely.

Next year, I’m thinking of switching to a different color of the same pen, so it’s easy to tell which year is which.

…

I was just so happy to have written every day for the first time that I wanted to reflect on it like this.

It may not feel very much like a typical End of Year Reflection, but I did at least do it at night, in appropriately dim lighting. (The photos were taken later, during the day.)

That’s all for now—look forward to the next Techo News!

Hello. I’m Ayagi from the Techo Team. Since it’s time for our End of Year Reflection, I thought I’d look back on the past year by flipping through my diary. It’s a mix of writing and pasting things in, so it really shows how the year unfolded.



I started using my techo as a diary in 2024. At first, I only wrote in it, but before long I began pasting in bits of paper I picked up while out, printed photos, wrapping paper, stickers, and more. I didn’t decide on any rules or a format. “Freedom” is the theme I’ve stuck with.



I use a Cousin Avec, which is sturdy enough to get nice and thick, paired with a Hasegawa Tohaku cover. It’s one of my favorites. Just looking at it helps me clear my mind. Let’s start flipping through the pages.

■ Looking back 1: So many food memories



One thing that really stood out when I looked back was just how many entries are about food. There are lots of pages where I’ve pasted a photo of a meal along with the shop’s card, then wrote a short entry in the remaining space.



Travel days, too, are mostly food records. Pasting in shop cards together with photos is useful because they also work as a record of the place itself. By the way, here’s a little tip. If you take photos of ramen or rice dishes from directly above, then cut them out along the edge of the plate before pasting them in, they look extra cute.



There are days when I forgot to take photos altogether. That’s a memory too.

■ Looking back 2: Even paper can become memories



Shop cards and flyers tend to pile up after events. This year, I decided to paste all of them into my techo. One great thing about the Avec is that it can handle a lot of bulk. On the right-hand page here, I had pasted a total of seven shop cards. Just sticking them in like this is enough to bring back memories of the day, which I really like.

■ Looking back 3: Pasting in passing news



Starting in 2025, I also began printing out screenshots of news articles and pasting them in. I started doing this because I realized how quickly I forget things I read online. It turned out to be more fun than I expected.



For example, this is a news story about someone who deliberately let themselves be bitten by snakes to develop immunity to snake venom. There really are all kinds of people in the world. I also screenshot and paste in Instagram and X posts that make me stop and think, “This one’s worth keeping.”



I use a thermal printer by a brand called Phomemo. It’s easy to use and very convenient, so I recommend it.

***

That wraps up my End of Year Techo Reflection. There are still blank pages here and there, but sticking with it for a whole year really does give a sense of accomplishment. In 2026, I plan to keep going with this free-form diary style. The End of Year Techo Reflections continue tomorrow, so please come and read them again. I hope you’ll try holding your own techo reflection too.

Hello. I’m Wenlai from the Techo Team. It’s already the end of the year, isn’t it? Time really does fly.
In 2025, I used three techos. A HON for my diary, a Weeks for freely sticking things in and jotting notes, and, new to the lineup this year, an A5 Day-Free.



■Goal-tracking with the Day-Free

At the start of every year, I set goals. One of them this year was: “Tidy my room!” To be honest... I’m really bad at cleaning. When things are neat, I feel great—but once the clutter starts, my motivation sinks, and things pile up fast. So, in an attempt to fix the situation, I used my Day-Free to analyze what was going on and write down possible solutions in bullet points. This was back on January 25.



Wow... I was being very serious.
Before my initial burst of motivation faded, I tried to support it with logic and reason. Before we get to how it turned out, let me show you how I used my other techos.

■Keeping a diary with the HON

My A6 size HON is my diary. Most days, I fill the entire page with text, but I make a little extra effort to decorate the first page of each month.



September 1 is Hobonichi Techo release day. This year, starting the day before, we posted live updates in both Japanese and English for “Happy Hobonichi Day!” I printed out and pasted in a post from when the English translation team was getting fired up and ready.

■Stick, jot, anything goes in my Weeks

I use my Weeks most freely, without separating work and personal life.
I stick in wrapping paper, jot down passing thoughts, and write down little things people say to me.



One day, I was making a greeting card for someone important, enthusiastically using lots of washi tape. I left the opened tape packages and wrappers scattered across my desk and started snacking away.

Just then, Miyashita happened to walk by, took one look, and said: “Uh... it kind of looks like you’re eating washi tape.”

When I snapped back to reality, I realized he was right—my desk was such a mess that it really couldn't look any other way. Even slightly embarrassing moments like this become fond memories if you only write them down.



During summer vacation, we held a Kids Day workshop at the office, inviting the children of our crew members. We made handmade jellyfish together. This page shows some rough design sketches. I really do love making things.

■So... what happened with the cleaning?

I wrote this years goal into my Day-Free, now let’s check in at the 6 months point.



Ah... not great. Most of the goals were marked with × or △. And after that came the busy stretch leading up to the techo release...



Now fast forwarding to November 24. Somehow, I finally tidied up. In other words: just the other day. Something that would have taken only a few days if I had pulled my finger out, ended up taking almost a full year...

This time, I wrote about “Necessary things to help clean up.”
Since the Day-Free doesn’t have a fixed format and continues with graph pages, I used the TSUKI no IRO Sticky Notes (Frame) to create headings. Trying to plan in detail, writing things like “steps to become someone who cleans," didn’t work for me.

So I changed my approach and asked myself:“Why was I finally able to do something I’d struggled with for so long?” If I can recreate that same situation next time, maybe the hurdle will feel lower. Rather than pushing myself with a sense of obligation, it seems I’m better motivated by happy feelings and a sense of accomplishment.



I’m still very much in a process of trial and error, but by looking back through my techo from time to time, I hope I can keep growing—little by little.

Wishing all of you a wonderful 2026.

---Featured Items---

Techo & Covers
●Day-Free (A5)
●yuge fabric farm: Kagome Lattice Crest (A5)

Stationery
●TSUKI no IRO: Sticky Notes
●Clear Cover for Weeks

Hi! We’ve been sharing daily Techo News updates until December 25. Have you been enjoying them so far?
I’m Kawabata, and this is my Techo Reflection! I use a Weeks for work notes. Since I mostly write with just one black pen, my pages are pretty plain overall.

[A Fun Day]



One of my favorite memories from the year is a trip to Ueda, Nagano during the production of the Hobonichi Techo Official Guidebook! We had the chance to interview someone who has been using the Hobonichi Techo for many years, and I couldn’t wait to find out what kind of person they were. Since it was such a great opportunity, I also made plans in my techo to fully enjoy Ueda after the interview.



The horizontal line at 1 pm marks the end of work and start of play. (That part took up more space than work.)
I did some research online and asked who knows a lot about Ueda. I even visited Tsuruya, a supermarket, that wasn’t on the original plan but was amazing!



I may have bought too much...



And had a nice rest at the Bessho Onsen.



I managed to just slide my way into a famous Chinese restaurant (日昌亭/Nisshotei), and got to try the local delicacy: Ankake Yakisoba.




That was my half-day of enjoying Ueda! It reminded me how important it is to make plans.

[A Slightly Down Day]



One memory that left me feeling a bit down was taking my pet rabbit in for a tooth trim. I was worried because he wasn’t eating much, so I took him to the vet. They told me his teeth had grown unevenly and were hurting the inside of his mouth, which was likely why he couldn’t eat comfortably. So I had his teeth trimmed.

He's feeling much better now. Look at him showing off how cute he is!

I can’t help wondering if I could’ve avoided putting him through treatment by being more creative with how I fed him. Whenever I look at this page, it reminds me to take even better care of him.

[Days of input]

I also use my techo to jot down things said by Mr. Itoi and other team members during meetings.



Recently, I’ve been into drawing little illustrations on the left side of the faint “secret vertical line” in the graph paper. They work as handy visual markers when I look back later.

By the way, this very plain techo is written mostly with a Frixion Synergy Knock 03. This year was my Weeks debut, and I wanted to write and draw with a very fine line. Since it’s even thinner than the 0.38mm pen I used before, I gave it a try—and now it’s a favorite.

Wow, 2025 is almost over... Still, our team will keep posting their Techo Reflections, so please tune back in tomorrow!

Hello everyone! I’m Iwasawa from the Techo Team. There’s only about half a month left in 2025. Since the weather stayed warm for so long this year, December crept up on me before I knew it. I keep thinking, “Wait, the year’s already ending?” and feeling a little flustered!
With that, let’s begin my Hobonichi Techo End of Year Reflection. These are the techos that ran alongside me all year long.


Weeks & HON for work / Cousin Avec & 5-Year Techo for personal use

This year, I thought I’d look back by giving my techos their own “Techo Awards.” To start is the “You Worked So Hard!” Award!
First up is the Weeks I used for work. From April through July, it was covered in sticky notes labeled things like “Techo Book Tasks” and “Techo Book Checks.”


One week’s page. Even the items without completion lines were all finished!

When working on the Hobonichi Techo Official Guidebook, there were so many tasks that I often found myself thinking, “What should I do next?” Each time, I’d write everything out, organize it, prepare, and repeat. Looking back, I can really see that process recorded in my techo. I hope everyone is enjoying the finished guidebook.

And one more “You Worked So Hard!” Award goes to this.


Smudged ink, misaligned stamps… I want to get better at this!

There are traces of stamp practice all over my HON and Weeks. I often need to stamp things during photo shoots, but I actually have a bit of a complex about stamping. Because of that, it looks like I practiced a lot beforehand.

Next up is the “So Many Memories!” Award!

My Cousin and 5-Year Techo are filled with records of trips and live shows. Let’s start with travel.


By coincidence, I visited a cat village in Taiwan on Cat Day.

This year took me to Niigata, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagano, and Kuroiso, as well as farther trips to Taiwan and Aomori. Leaving even small notes like this makes me happy every time I look back. It’s like reliving the fun again and again. Aomori, in particular, was so much fun that I wrote so much in my 5-Year Techo that I won’t have much space left on the right-hand pages in future years.


I couldn’t help but worry about everyone I’d met after the earthquake.

And of course, there were the live shows too.


Notes from attending a festival two days in a row.

Lately, I’ve been writing down set lists along with my live show memories, adding little notes about how I felt during certain songs. I love that writing down these small details helps preserve moments that might otherwise fade away.


It was so hot! But outdoor shows are so special.

Finally, the “Too Precious to Throw Away” Award.
This final award goes to sticky notes and memos I’ve received from other members of the Techo Team.


Just a few of what I have pasted into my techo.

Everyone on the team is so good at using sticky notes and memos. Looking back at them brings back all kinds of memories. They’re proof of how much we communicated and worked well together this year.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Looking back, my goal for the year was “Give my all to both work and play!” and judging from my techos, it seems I managed to achieve that without even realizing it. Next year, I plan to enjoy myself just as much. Though there’s still a little more of this year left to push through!

The Hobonichi Techo End of Year Reflections continue, so please look forward to the next post.

© Moomin Characters™