Best Japanese Notebooks (2027): Midori, Apica & 7 More

Nine Japanese notebooks in a to-scale lineup with their sizes — Nine Japanese notebooks side by side at 1 mm = 0.6 px, from the A6 Hobonichi to the Semi-B5 Campus.

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
Midori MD Notebook A5, 176 pages (blank, lined, grid, dot grid or frame)Midori	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per notebook
Apica Premium C.D. Notebook A5, 96 sheets (blank CDS90W; also lined and grid)Apica	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per notebook
Maruman Mnemosyne N195A Notebook, A5, 7 mm ruled, 80 sheetsMaruman	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per notebook
LIFE Noble Note A5, 100 sheets (plain, 8 mm ruled or 5 mm grid)LIFE	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per notebook
Tsubame Fools University Notebook A5, 7 mm ruled, 30 sheets (H30S)Tsubame	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $under $5 per notebook
KOKUYO Campus Notebook, Semi-B5, 30 sheets (NO-3BN 6 mm rule; NO-3BTN 6 mm dotted; NO-3ATN 7 mm dotted)KOKUYO	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $under $5 per notebook
KOKUYO Soft Ring Notebook, dot-ruled, A5, 80 sheets (SU-SV338BT)KOKUYO	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per notebook
Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6, 2027 (English or Japanese; January or April start)Hobonichi	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per notebook
STALOGY Editor's Series 365Days Notebook, A5, 368 pagesSTALOGY	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per notebook

Notes on these facts

Midori MD Notebook A5, 176 pages (blank, lined, grid, dot grid or frame): Made by Designphil Inc. (Tokyo); the MD line is now sold as MD PRODUCT. Made in Japan: Midori's Japanese MD PRODUCT store gives 原産国 (country of origin) Made in Japan for the A5, as did the older Midori online store listing for the lined A5 (15294006). The Journal Shop, Galen Leather and Boston General Store agree. Source. Released: Designphil's February 23, 2018 press release says Midori launched the MD Notebook in 2008 and marked its 10th anniversary in January 2018; Midori's store says the notebook reached 15 years in 2023, when it was renewed with MD Paper covers.
Apica Premium C.D. Notebook A5, 96 sheets (blank CDS90W; also lined and grid): Made by Nippon Note Co., Ltd. (日本ノート株式会社), a PLUS Corporation subsidiary since January 2019. Made in Japan: Papeterie Makkura lists Made in Japan for the blank and grid A5; The Journal Shop lists Japan as the country of origin for the ruled A5, and Write Gear says all CD Notebooks are made in Japan. Nippon Note's Japanese product pages give codes, JAN, weight and price but no country of manufacture. Source.
Maruman Mnemosyne N195A Notebook, A5, 7 mm ruled, 80 sheets: Made by Maruman Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: Maruman's Japanese product page for the N195A gives the country of manufacture (生産国) as Japan, and says the paper is Japanese-made (国産); retailer listings (Galen Leather, Goulet Pens, Goldspot) agree. Source.
LIFE Noble Note A5, 100 sheets (plain, 8 mm ruled or 5 mm grid): Made by LIFE Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Made in Japan: LIFE's own product page says craftsmen in Tokyo's shitamachi (old downtown) make each Noble Note by hand. Japanese Taste and Paper Whisper also list Japan as the origin. Source.
Tsubame Fools University Notebook A5, 7 mm ruled, 30 sheets (H30S): Made by Tsubame Note Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Made in Japan: per Pulp Addiction's listing for the 30-sheet A5 ruled notebook (Made in Japan) and Hunter Paper Co.'s listing for the 40-sheet A5 (Made in Japan). Tsubame Note is based in Asakusabashi, Tokyo. Source. Price: example listing.
KOKUYO Campus Notebook, Semi-B5, 30 sheets (NO-3BN 6 mm rule; NO-3BTN 6 mm dotted; NO-3ATN 7 mm dotted): Made by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: KOKUYO's own global online store gives Country of Origin: Japan for the NO-3BN 3-pack and 10-pack and for the NO-3BTN and NO-3ATN dotted books. KOKUYO's Japanese catalog pages don't list origin; other Campus lines and sizes may differ. Source. Released: KOKUYO's Japanese chronicle: the Campus brand began with spiral notebooks in 1965; this perfect-bound Campus Note followed in 1975, and the current design is the fifth generation, from October 2011.
KOKUYO Soft Ring Notebook, dot-ruled, A5, 80 sheets (SU-SV338BT): Made by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.. Country of manufacture not stated: KOKUYO's product pages, ASKUL's spec sheet and the US listings we read don't state where the notebook is made. KOKUYO is based in Osaka, Japan. Released: Launch date of the first Soft Ring Notebook (dot-ruled, semi-B5 and A5), per KOKUYO's February 25, 2015 news release.
Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6, 2027 (English or Japanese; January or April start): Made by Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Hobonichi's Japanese store listing for the 2027 English Original gives size, weight, pages and paper but no country of manufacture (it names one only for a free charm, made in China), and we found no retailer spec sheet that states it for the Original Book. Hunter Paper Co. says its Original Avec book is made in Japan by Hobonichi, but that is a different product. Check the back of the book. Released: Hobonichi's history page gives October 5, 2001 as the release date of the first edition, the 2002 Techo.
STALOGY Editor's Series 365Days Notebook, A5, 368 pages: Made by Nitoms, Inc. (ニトムズ). Made in Japan: Amazon Japan's listing for S4101 gives 原産国 (country of origin) 日本 (Japan), and Galen Leather lists Japan for its grid, dot grid and blank A5s. STALOGY's About page says Nitoms, a Japanese Nitto group company, develops, manufactures and sells the line; STALOGY's product pages don't name a country. Source.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

Paper weights run from 52 g/m² in the STALOGY 365Days to about 86.5 g/m² in the Apica Premium C.D., per makers and retailers.
Page counts range from 60 in a 30-sheet Tsubame or Campus to 464 in the Hobonichi Techo Original.
Six of the nine are A5, 148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in); the KOKUYO Campus is Semi-B5, 252 × 179 mm, and the Hobonichi Original is A6.
Two picks sit in our lowest band, under $5: the Tsubame Fools A5 and the KOKUYO Campus; five are $$ ($5–20) and two are $$$ ($20–75).
Every pick except the KOKUYO Soft Ring and the Hobonichi Original is listed as made in Japan; for those two, KOKUYO and Hobonichi don't state it.

What is the best Japanese notebook?

On published specs, the Midori MD Notebook A5 is the best all-round Japanese notebook, with a different pick for value, spiral binding, budget, school and daily journaling. The MD is #1 because Midori makes its MD Paper in-house for writing, it’s a usual fountain pen pick, and its thread-sewn binding lies flat, in our $$ band.

Best overall: Midori MD Notebook A5. Why it’s here: 176 pages of cream 80 g/m² MD Paper that Midori has developed in-house since the 1960s, thread-sewn so it lies flat.
Best value softcover: Apica Premium C.D. Notebook A5. Why it’s here: more pages than the MD (192) on heavier 86.5 g/m² A.Silky 865 paper, in the same $$ band, and Wirecutter’s best medium softcover.
Best spiral: Maruman Mnemosyne N195A. Why it’s here: the only twin-ring pick, with 80 micro-perforated sheets of white 80 g/m² paper that tear out.
Best for long writing: LIFE Noble Note A5. Why it’s here: the most pages of the sewn A5 notebooks (200), cream L Writing Paper of about 85 g/m², sewn by hand in Tokyo, per LIFE.
Best under $5: Tsubame Fools A5. Why it’s here: the only A5 pick in our $ band, 30 sheets of 81.4 gsm Fools paper that JetPens calls fountain-pen friendly.
Best for school: KOKUYO Campus. Why it’s here: the only Semi-B5 pick (252 × 179 mm), with 35 lines a page at 6 mm, in our $ band.
Best ring notebook for comfort: KOKUYO Soft Ring A5. Why it’s here: the only rings that squash under your hand instead of digging in, made of olefin resin.
Best daily planner: Hobonichi Techo Original. Why it’s here: the only planner here, a dated page a day across 464 pages of Tomoe River paper in an A6 book.
Best one-year notebook: STALOGY 365Days A5. Why it’s here: 368 pages of thin 52 g/m² paper with faint date and hour marks you can ignore, so it’s a year’s notebook without a planner’s layout.

How did we choose these picks?

We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: makers’ Japanese spec pages, retailer paper weights (Goulet Pens, Galen Leather, JetPens), Wirecutter’s and JetPens’ reviews, US availability and price band. We favored notebooks whose makers develop or specify their own paper, then picked one per use.

How do the nine notebooks compare?

The table sets the nine side by side; sizes and sheet counts are from each maker’s Japanese site unless noted in its guide.

Notebook	Size	Pages	Paper	Binding	Band	Made in
Midori MD A5	148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in)	176	MD Paper, 80 g/m², cream	Thread-sewn	$$	Japan
Apica Premium C.D. A5	148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in)	192	A.Silky 865, 86.5 g/m²	Thread-sewn	$$	Japan
Maruman Mnemosyne N195A	161 × 210 mm (6.3 × 8.3 in) with rings	160	80 g/m², white	Twin ring	$$	Japan
LIFE Noble Note A5	148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in)	200	L Writing Paper, about 85 g/m², cream	Sewn	$$	Japan
Tsubame Fools A5	148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in)	60	Fools paper, 81.4 gsm	Thread-bound	$	Japan
KOKUYO Campus	252 × 179 mm (9.9 × 7 in)	60	Woodfree paper	Glued	$	Japan
KOKUYO Soft Ring A5	210 × 148 mm (8.3 × 5.8 in) sheets	160	Woodfree paper	Soft resin rings	$$	Not stated
Hobonichi Original	148 × 105 × 15 mm (5.8 × 4.1 in)	464	Tomoe River S	Thread-sewn	$$$	Not stated
STALOGY 365Days A5	148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in)	368	52 g/m², white	Not stated	$$$	Japan

Paper weights for the Apica, Noble Note, Tsubame and STALOGY come from retailers (Goulet Pens, Galen Leather, JetPens); see each guide.

Which Japanese notebook is best for fountain pens?

The Midori MD, LIFE Noble Note and Tsubame Fools are the usual fountain pen picks, because their makers design the paper for writing. JetPens calls Tsubame’s Fools paper fountain-pen friendly, and Wirecutter’s panelists saw little feathering on the Apica.

Thin papers such as the STALOGY’s 52 g/m² sheet and Hobonichi’s Tomoe River take ink well but show writing through. Our Japanese stationery guide pairs these notebooks with Japanese pens, planners and washi tape, and says where to buy them in the US.

What makes Japanese notebook paper different?

Several Japanese makers develop their own paper instead of buying a standard stock. Designphil says Midori has developed MD Paper in-house since the 1960s, Tsubame says its Fools paper has a watermark and no fluorescent dyes, and LIFE uses its own L Writing Paper.

Binding matters as much: thread-sewn books such as the MD, Apica and Tsubame open flat, while the glued Campus is built for school use and a low price.

Which size should you choose?

Choose A5 for a desk notebook or journal, Semi-B5 for school, and A6 for a daily planner you carry. A5 is 148 × 210 mm, the Campus’s Semi-B5 is 252 × 179 mm, and the Hobonichi Original is A6, 148 × 105 mm.

Both A5 and Semi-B5 are narrower and shorter than US letter, 216 × 279 mm (8.5 × 11 in).

How much do Japanese notebooks cost?

Most cost $5–20 in the US, and Japanese list prices are often much lower. Midori lists the MD A5 at ¥1,210 (about US$7.70), Maruman the Mnemosyne at ¥792 (about US$5), LIFE the Noble Note at ¥1,200 (about US$7.60) and Nippon Note the Apica at ¥1,397 (about US$8.80).

The STALOGY A5 lists at ¥2,937 (about US$19) with tax and the Hobonichi Original at ¥2,860 (about US$18), but US shops charge more, which puts both in our $$$ band.

Where are Japanese notebooks made?

Seven of the nine are listed as made in Japan by their makers or retailers. KOKUYO doesn’t state a country for the Soft Ring Notebook, and Hobonichi doesn’t state one for the 2027 Original.

Frequently asked questions

Why are Japanese notebooks so good?

Several makers use their own paper: Midori has developed MD Paper in-house since the 1960s, Tsubame uses its watermarked Fools paper, and LIFE its L Writing Paper. Many are also thread-sewn, so they open flat.

What is the best spiral-bound Japanese notebook?

Our pick is the Maruman Mnemosyne N195A: 80 micro-perforated sheets of white 80 g/m² paper on twin wire rings. If metal rings bother your hand, the KOKUYO Soft Ring A5 uses olefin resin rings that squash flat as you write.

What is the thinnest paper in a Japanese notebook?

Of our picks, the STALOGY 365Days, at 52 g/m² per retailers, and the Hobonichi Techo's Tomoe River paper. Thin paper lets a year of pages fit in one book, but writing shows through.

What is the cheapest good Japanese notebook?

The Tsubame Fools A5 and the KOKUYO Campus both sit in our lowest band, under $5. Tsubame lists the 30-sheet A5 at ¥230 (about US$1.50) before tax.

Is the Apica Premium C.D. better than a Moleskine?

On paper weight, yes: Apica's A.Silky 865 is given as 86.5 g/m² against Moleskine's 70 g/m². Wirecutter picked the Apica as its best medium softcover notebook.

Do Japanese notebooks come in letter size?

Rarely. Japanese notebooks follow A and B paper sizes: A5 is 148 × 210 mm and the school Semi-B5 is 252 × 179 mm, both smaller than US letter.

Where can you buy Japanese notebooks in the US?

US stationery shops such as JetPens, Goulet Pens and Hunter Paper Co. stock most of our picks. Some, such as the KOKUYO Soft Ring, sell at US shops above their Japanese list prices.

Sources (10)

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