Tag Archives: japan

Undated Nolty Daily Book

I love it when my wishes come true! I was thrilled when the Nolty Daily Book was announced for 2020 to celebrate their 70th anniversary but then crushed when they decided not to add it to their regular line-up. But thanks to Instagram, I recently spotted a sneaky late addition to their new products: an … Continue reading Undated Nolty Daily Book

Plotter USA Launch

Plotter is an intriguing Japanese planner system I’ve been salivating over since at least 2018– apparently without ever having actually written a blog post about it! I was always frustrated that I couldn’t figure out how to order one of these notebooks for US delivery, so I was thrilled to see that the brand is … Continue reading Plotter USA Launch

2021 Nolty Diaries Arrived!

I was very pleased to get my shipment of 2021 Nolty diaries straight from Japan in mid-September. Ordering directly from JMAM worked great! Because I was buying multiple notebooks, the shipping costs worked out well, but if I’d only ordered one or two notebooks, I might have been better off paying Kinokuniya’s higher retail prices … Continue reading 2021 Nolty Diaries Arrived!

Communicating By Notebook in a Tokyo Bar

Yet another reason why I’m dying to visit Japan! In Tokyo, a bar called Decameron opened recently, despite the fact that other bars in the neighborhood have been closing because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In part due to concerns over the transmission of the virus through droplets spread while speaking, and in part due to … Continue reading Communicating By Notebook in a Tokyo Bar

Japan’s Obsession with Paper

A fascinating article from the BBC about Japan’s traditions around the use of paper. Towards the end, there is a mention of the popularity of using planners such as the Hobonichi Techo: There are also still strong advocates for paper’s analogue charm in a world that is becoming increasingly digital. Japan’s so-called “techo culture” celebrates … Continue reading Japan’s Obsession with Paper

Post-War Japanese Notebooks Recording Hirohito’s Regrets

Japanese public broadcaster NHK has obtained documents showing that former Emperor Hirohito repeatedly felt sorry about World War II and tried, unsuccessfully, to express his feelings by using the word “remorse” in a 1952 speech. The records of conversations with Hirohito spanning several years were kept by Michiji Tajima, a top Imperial Household Agency official … Continue reading Post-War Japanese Notebooks Recording Hirohito’s Regrets

Techorui Toshoshitsu: A Library of Notebooks

Yet another reason I’m dying to go to Japan! This library in central Tokyo is like no other. Instead of offering volumes ranging from the usual, it displays the decidedly unusual. How about a bittersweet story of unrequited love between two high school students, a man’s passion for job-hunting or someone’s fixation on a pop … Continue reading Techorui Toshoshitsu: A Library of Notebooks

2020 Nolty Diary Line-Up

I continue to use my Nolty notebooks quite faithfully. A couple of weeks ago I started seeing news online about the 2020 Nolty diary offerings, which go on sale in September. Once again, I’ve been exploring the Nolty website with the help of Google Translate to try to figure out the various options! The new … Continue reading 2020 Nolty Diary Line-Up

Notebook Addict of the Week: Naomi Leeman

This week’s addict is a designer and illustrator who has filled a nice row of Moleskine journals: What’s inside is even better: beautiful travel collages! For the past several years, I’ve keep a sketchbook that I use for everyday notes, ideas, lists, sketches, as well as travel collages.  I carry it with me everywhere and, … Continue reading Notebook Addict of the Week: Naomi Leeman