What does it mean to write? Writing is a very simple task one can do with only a pen and paper. And yet, there’s an incredible amount of power to it, such as expressing your feelings to someone, gathering your thoughts into one place, leaving behind a record of present events to look back on in the future . . .

We’ll be using the Hobonichi Techo 2019 release to take another look at the action of writing, pondering and discussing what makes it so fun and what makes it so mysterious.

In this special article, we’ve taken a closer look at 10 people who draw and write in their professional or personal lives, checking out their favorite writing tools and hearing all about their writing process. We hope you enjoy reading all about the wide variety of approaches to writing.

What does it mean to write?

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Shigesato Itoi

“I have different handwriting when jotting down quick notes than when I’m carefully writing something out.”

Our special feature begins with our interview with Shigesato Itoi. What did he write in his techo in 2018, the year he resolved to use his Hobonichi Techo on a deeper level?

ProfileShigesato Itoi

Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun Editor-in-Chief.
Born 1948.
Created advertisements as a copywriter for years in addition to writing song lyrics and video games and participating in a famously wide range of projects.
Founded Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun in 1998, and has since dedicated all of his attention to Hobonichi.

--: You’ve said you became an avid user of the Hobonichi Techo in 2018.

Itoi: No matter how sleepy I am, I always make sure to write something in it. I haven’t missed a single entry this year, and I think that’s a first for me.

--: What do you write about on a daily basis?

Itoi: Most of my entries are just things I’m thinking about. I keep my techo with me whenever I’m sitting and thinking. I don’t really sit and write an entry, but I stop and think a lot while I’m writing. Sometimes I skip the details. I don’t mind making mistakes, I just want to make sure to write things down so I can have it later.

--: What was the reason you were able to keep up with your techo entries?

Itoi: I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to keep up with it, but once I started, I was able to do it. The reason I started writing in my Hobonichi Techo every day this year was because I’ve started using a fountain pen.

--: We hear you started using the Capless Fountain Pen when writer Fumitake Koga recommended it.

Itoi: That’s right, I read about it in Koga’s blog. I’ve been using this pen for about a year now. I feel like it reminded me of the joy of writing. I’ve always felt like I couldn’t quite write how I wanted to with pens I’ve used in the past, but I don’t mind my handwriting when I’m using this one. I think the way my writing flows so smoothly and naturally with this pen suits me quite well. I have different handwriting when jotting down quick notes than when I’m carefully writing something out.

--: Did it change the way you use your Hobonichi Techo?

Itoi: One other reason I was motivated to use my techo on a daily basis was the introduction of the Hobonichi 5-Year Techo. I take things I’ve written in my Hobonichi Techo, which I carry around with me, and copy them into the Hobonichi 5-Year Techo I keep at home. The 5-Year Techo serves as a sort of “control.” When you write down simple things like what you ate and whom you met, it brings up memories of that day. Reading back on old entries in a techo is like paging through an album of old photographs. I’ll see an old picture of Bouillon on our walks and think, “This was behind the Nezu Art Museum.” That’s what brings to mind more memories of that day. After starting a Hobonichi 5-Year Techo this year, I’m excited to read back on my old entries as I start from the beginning next year.

--: Being able to look back on all the old entries the second year onward is a special kind of enjoyment the 5-Year Techo provides. What do you write about besides things you’ve thought about?

Itoi: I write down things other people have talked about, or good things that have happened to friends of mine. This extends my enjoyment of daily life to the lives of others as well, and makes me want to be closer to the people in my life. And while this is a rare thing for me, I’ve written down excerpts from books that really struck me. Hiroshi Mori has written a book called “We Don’t Need Concentration” that I’m a big fan of. There’s a passage from the book that I’ve copied into my techo.

--: I feel like we haven’t had much of an opportunity to see the inside of your Hobonichi Techo, even during interviews and meetings.

Itoi: I write most of my entries with the intent of keeping them private. If I knew I’d be showing my pages to someone, I think both my entries and my handwriting would be different. Even paging through my book now, I’ve got an entry that only says “The monorail ended up being really inconvenient.” I’m not actually sure why I don’t show people my pages, though.

--: Do you have anything else you’d like to write about in the future?

Itoi: I’m actually getting a new puppy today. She looks just like Bouillon, and she’s only about 3 months old. I’ve already named her “Bouiko.” I’ve been so antsy about it that I wasn’t able to sleep well yesterday. I’m thinking about using a Weeks as a pet diary.
[This interview was conducted on the day Itoi got his new puppy Bouiko on August 20, 2018.]

--: So Buiko is going to be waiting for you when you get home today! Thank you for spending time with us on such an exciting day. We look forward to seeing your posts about Bouiko as she grows up.

(More articles to come. Next time we’ll be talking with Taku Satoh.)

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