Hobonichi

Launched in 2001 by Shigesato Itoi (糸井重里), known for his work as a copywriter and creator of the MOTHER (EarthBound) game series, Hobonichi began as an internal tool for his team at Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun. The idea was to create a shared notebook that encouraged people to record daily thoughts, ideas, and experiences.


It is best known for the Hobonichi Techo planner (ほぼ日手帳), which uses ultra-thin, fountain-pen-friendly Tomoe River paper, allowing for a high page count while staying lightweight. The design features a 180-degree lay-flat binding and comes in formats such as the A6 Original and the Weeks planner. Through artist collaborations and a strong user community, Hobonichi has become a widely used personal journaling system.