Welcome to the Story Series – Featuring Hobonichi
Welcome to the first edition of our Brand Storytelling Series, where we take you behind the scenes of the thoughtfully chosen brands we stock at nishura EAST. Each product we carry has been handpicked with intention—not just for its beauty or functionality, but for the story it tells.
This month, we're diving into the beloved world of Hobonichi, a Japanese planner brand that has captured the hearts of journalling enthusiasts around the world. With a focus on the unique collaborations with companies such as the textile brand minä perhonen, the wood-printing Unsodo, company, and Yuge Fabric Farm, a family-run dyeing business. These collaborations create the key details that make Hobonichi stationery practical and iconic.
Hobonichi began in 2001, the brainchild of Shigesato Itoi—a renowned copywriter, essayist, and the creator of the cult video game EarthBound. Itoi launched the Hobonichi Techo through his website Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun (Almost Daily Itoi News) with a simple idea: to make a planner that was just as much about daily life as it was about dates. A life book that can be used to reflect on history (personal and global), philosophy and more than a simple to-do list.
Over two decades later, its thoughtful design has been recognised globally, with a Good Design Award in 2013, one of Japan’s most prestigious design honours. But more than accolades, what truly sets Hobonichi apart is its community—people from all over the world using these books to tell their stories and showcase them at meeting caravans—which we had the pleasure of hosting last autumn. You can view the full event report here.
Part of what makes Hobonichi so enduring is its openness to artistic collaboration. One of its longest-running and most beloved partnerships is with minä perhonen, the poetic Japanese fashion and textile house founded by Akira Minagawa.
Each minä perhonen cover is like a little piece of wearable art. From the peaceful, Alpine-inspired Hütte, to the joyfully scattered Jellybeans, or the nostalgic softness of the black cat silhouette in the anone-anone series. These designs bring texture and soul to your journalling practice made in both A5 and A6 for anyone's preference. Crafted to age gracefully and evolve with each use.
For lovers of traditional Japanese art, Hobonichi’s collaboration with Unsodo, a Kyoto-based woodblock print publisher established in the 1890s, is a visual delight. Their A6 and A5 covers feature prints inspired by classic Japanese landscapes and seasonal scenes, bringing a timeless elegance to your desk. Paired with their foliage and fauna inspired pencil boards, the seasonal emblems of Japanese culture bring a refreshing and calming aura to your journalling ritual.
Another standout partnership is with Yuge Fabric Farm, a family-run natural dyeing workshop based in Japan. These A6 and A5 covers are hand-dyed using techniques that showcase traditional patterns, using brocade fabrics that are both elegant and meaningful. For instance, the Kagome Lattice Crest A5 coverfeatures a pattern that has been associated with strength and resilience, while the Fish Scale Crest uses a traditional kinran brocade, a luxurious fabric known for its intricate designs and golden threads.
Beyond the art design on the front cover, a Hobonichi planner becomes uniquely yours thanks to its inner personalisable features. Crafted for durability and everyday use, each A5 cousin cover, and A6 original cover includes practical elements like a butterfly pen lock made of two loops that seal with your inserted pen. As well as bookmark ribbons, and interior pockets—perfect for stashing receipts, photos, or scribbles. Hobonichi covers range from elegant leathers to playful pop culture collaborations, offering something for every style and mood.
We also love the Hobonichi Weeks, a slim, fabric-covered or leather-bound planner with a sleek vertical weekly overview layout that’s easy to carry but packed with charm. Whether you're planning your week or journaling on the go, Weeks brings Hobonichi’s signature attention to detail in a portable size (now also 40% OFF).
This is the essence of Hobonichi. From its origins as a passion project to its evolution as a design icon, Hobonichi has always been about more than planning—it’s about storytelling, memory, and making space for reflection in our everyday lives.
Whether you're a longtime fan or discovering the brand for the first time, we invite you to explore this world at our pop-up or online at nishura EAST. And to make things even sweeter—every purchase of a Hobonichi cover or Weeks planner comes with a FREE pack of Stalogy masking dots to brighten up your pages and spark your creativity.
This season, let Hobonichi remind you how beautiful it is to slow down and put pen to paper. 🖋️💫