At the end of 2015 I finished my one-line-a-day* five year journal. I remember really enjoying being able to look back on what I was doing on that day one, two, or five years ago, and I often think how valuable it is to be able to have five years of memories all in the one journal. At the same time, though, I knew I wanted to try something new for 2016.
I was tossing up between the Midori Traveler’s Notebook* and a Hobonichi Techo* (both links will take you to more information on each journalilng system.) I loved the idea of being able to really customise the inside of a MTN and swap out inserts whenever I needed to, but I worried that I would spend too long getting it set up how I liked and fiddling with it, and not a lot of time using it! It needed to be something already set up and ready to go.
Enter the Hobonichi Techo! There are four different versions, but the one I got was the Techo Cousin Avec. I bought mine online from the Hobonichi store*, which meant that if I wanted the A5 size option I needed to get the Japanese version. It’s not a big drawback – it just means that I can’t read the inspirational quotes down the bottom of each page, and there are a few pages in the back that I can’t comprehend (but they’re great for testing new pens out!)
There’s a couple of things I love about my Hobonichi Techo:
(January – June vs July – December. So satisfyingly chubby!)
After using my Hobonichi all year, I can safely say I really only have one complaint: because it’s essentially a dated planner, I feel pressured to journal each day. Which I love! But being so time poor, I’ve gotten quite behind (you can see all the sticky notes to remind me to go back and fill in those pages.) When I finally DID get some free time, sometimes I felt that I should be spending it catching up on my Hobonichi whether I was in the mood to or not. Which, you know, kind of defeats one of its primary purposes: to be a relaxing creative outlet.
So will I go Hobonichi again next year? I’m not sure, but probably not. I loved SO much about this year, and I definitely won’t regret having a year full of sketches, journalling, and all those bits of paper memories I like to collect. I’m definitely loving spending time sketching and painting to go with my memory recording, but next year I think I will find an un-dated journal so that I can record when I want. Before I do start looking for a new system, I’ll be back to explain how I use my Hobonichi, and share some more pages.
In the meantime, here are some of my favourite art-journalists!
I hope you get time to create this weekend! (
(* these are not affiliate links, nor have I been sponsored for reviews.)