Best Lay-Flat Notebooks: 8 That Open Fully Flat

Eight notebooks opened flat in two rows, drawn to scale and labelled sewn, opens 180°, ring 360° or spiral 360° — Each pick opened flat, as drawn on its own guide, at one scale (1 mm = 0.44 px).

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: $$$5–20 per notebook
Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6, 2027 (English or Japanese; January or April start)Hobonichi	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per notebook
Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5), Hardcover, 251 numbered pages (dotted, ruled, squared or plain)Leuchtturm1917	Germany	Varies (Taiwan or Germany)^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per notebook
Apica Premium C.D. Notebook A5, 96 sheets (blank CDS90W; also lined and grid)Apica	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per notebook
Moleskine Classic Notebook, Hard Cover, Large (QP060 ruled)Moleskine	Italy	China^*	Price range: $$$$20–75 per notebook
KOKUYO Soft Ring Notebook, dot-ruled, A5, 80 sheets (SU-SV338BT)KOKUYO	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per notebook
LIHIT LAB AQUA DROPs Twist Ring Notebook, A5, Yellow Green (N-1658-6)LIHIT LAB	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per notebook
DELFONICS Rollbahn Pocket Memo L, 5 mm grid, 140 pagesDELFONICS	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$5–20 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.
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.
Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5), Hardcover, 251 numbered pages (dotted, ruled, squared or plain): Made by Leuchtturm Gruppe (Geesthacht, Germany). Made in Varies (Taiwan or Germany): Retailer data conflicts. Galaxus has listed Germany for a forest-green Medium dotted hard cover; Digitec has listed Germany, Taiwan and United Kingdom for a red-violet one; several eBay listings for Medium A5 notebooks have given Taiwan (all three now block automated reading). Leuchtturm1917's German and US product pages name no country for the standard notebook; its US 120G page says that edition's paper is made in Germany. Check the label on your copy. Source. Released: Unsharpen dates the Leuchtturm1917 notebook brand to 2005; we found no separate date for the A5 Medium. The company itself dates to 1917.
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.
Moleskine Classic Notebook, Hard Cover, Large (QP060 ruled): Made by Moleskine S.r.l. (D'Ieteren Group). Made in China: per retailer spec sheets: Galaxus/Digitec list China for the Large and Pocket hard covers, and the Australian promotional supplier Good Things lists China for the XL hard cover. Moleskine's Italian product page doesn't state the country, and Galaxus blocked our reader when we rechecked on October 20, 2026. Source. Released: Per Wikipedia, Milan publisher Modo & Modo launched the Moleskine notebook in 1997, reviving a French notebook design.
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.
LIHIT LAB AQUA DROPs Twist Ring Notebook, A5, Yellow Green (N-1658-6): Made by LIHIT LAB, Inc.. Country of manufacture not stated: LIHIT LAB's catalog and online store and the Amazon US listings we read don't give a country of origin. LIHIT LAB is a Japanese company; check the packaging.
DELFONICS Rollbahn Pocket Memo L, 5 mm grid, 140 pages: Made in Japan: DELFONICS' Japanese web shop lists 生産国：日本 (country of production: Japan) for the L, M, Mini and A5 pocket memos (read October 22, 2026); the UK retailer Milligram also says designed and made in Japan. Source. Released: Milligram's 2021 design brief says DELFONICS launched the Rollbahn in 2001 as the Rollbahn Photo Pocket Memo, starting with the medium size.
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

Sewn (Smyth, 糸かがり) bindings lie flat because the pages bend at the thread in the fold rather than at a glued spine.
Hobonichi and Midori both say their sewn books open 180° without holding the pages down; Moleskine says the same of its Classic.
Ring and spiral books lie flat and fold back 360°; the LIHIT LAB Twist Ring's 24 rings also open to add pages.
KOKUYO's Campus Flat Notebook, released December 13, 2023 at ¥231 (about US$1.50), is a glued notebook made to open flat from page one.
Five of the eight picks sell in our $$ band ($5–20); the Hobonichi, Leuchtturm1917 and Moleskine are $$$ ($20–75).

Which notebooks lie completely flat?

Notebooks whose makers say they open flat: sewn books like the Midori MD, Hobonichi Techo, Leuchtturm1917 and Apica C.D., the Moleskine Classic, and ring or spiral books like the KOKUYO Soft Ring, LIHIT LAB Twist Ring and DELFONICS Rollbahn. The Midori MD is #1 because its maker says it opens to 180° from the first page to the last, on paper fountain pen users favor.

Best overall: Midori MD Notebook A5. Why it’s here: Midori says its thread-sewn binding opens to 180° from the first page to the last, and its own 80 g/m² MD Paper is a fountain pen favorite.
Best planner: Hobonichi Techo Original. Why it’s here: the only planner here; Hobonichi says its 糸かがり (thread-sewn) binding opens 180° without holding it down, even with 464 pages.
Best hardcover: Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5. Why it’s here: the sewn hardcover pick, a thread-bound book Leuchtturm1917 says opens flat.
Best softcover: Apica Premium C.D. Notebook A5. Why it’s here: a thread-bound softcover that Nippon Note, its maker, says opens flat, on A.Silky 865 paper fountain pen users favor.
Classic pocket-to-desk: Moleskine Classic. Why it’s here: Moleskine’s Italian site promises an “apertura totale a 180°” (a full 180° opening) on its familiar classic.
Best ring notebook: KOKUYO Soft Ring A5. Why it’s here: soft resin rings that fold back 360° and squash under your hand instead of digging in.
Best refillable: LIHIT LAB Twist Ring. Why it’s here: the only refillable pick: rings that turn 360° and open to add or move leaves.
Best with pockets: DELFONICS Rollbahn L. Why it’s here: the only pick with pockets; DELFONICS says its double ring opens 180° flat and folds back 360°.

How did we choose these picks?

We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: we listed only notebooks whose makers state they open flat, with sizes, papers and origins from maker pages and retailers, US availability and price band. We then picked by binding and use, and left out good notebooks whose makers don’t make the claim.

How do the lay-flat notebooks compare?

Notebook	Pick	Size	Pages	Binding	Made in	Band
Midori MD A5	Best overall	148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in)	176	Thread-sewn, opens 180°	Japan	$$
Hobonichi Techo Original	Planner	105 × 148 mm (4.1 × 5.8 in)	464	Thread-sewn, opens 180°	Not stated	$$$
Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5	Hardcover	145 × 210 mm (5.7 × 8.3 in)	251	Thread-sewn, opens flat	Taiwan or Germany	$$$
Apica Premium C.D. A5	Softcover	148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in)	192	Thread-sewn	Japan	$$
Moleskine Classic Large	Classic	130 × 210 mm (5.1 × 8.3 in)	240	Opens 180°	China	$$$
KOKUYO Soft Ring A5	Ring	148 × 210 mm sheets (5.8 × 8.3 in)	160	Soft resin rings, 360°	Not stated	$$
LIHIT LAB Twist Ring A5	Refillable	154 × 210 mm (6.1 × 8.3 in)	60 (up to 80)	24 openable rings, 360°	Not stated	$$
DELFONICS Rollbahn L	Pockets	143 × 182 mm (5.6 × 7.2 in)	140	Double ring, 360°	Japan	$$

Sizes, page counts and origins come from each notebook’s own guide, where we cite the maker pages; “Not stated” means neither the maker nor a reliable retailer lists a country.

Which bindings let a notebook lie flat?

Four kinds: sewn, flat-opening glued, wire or spiral, and rings; an ordinary glued spine is the one that fights you.

End-on diagram of five bindings opened: glued pages curving into the gutter, sewn and flat-opening glued spreads lying flat, and spiral and ring books lying flat and folded back — How each binding opens. Only the glued spine pulls the pages into the gutter.

Sewn (Smyth, 糸かがり): folded sections are stitched through the fold, so each sheet bends at the thread rather than at a glued edge. The Book Designer calls sewing the strongest binding; it’s what the MD, Hobonichi, Leuchtturm1917 and Apica use.
Flat-opening glued: the book block is glued but the spine flexes free of the cover, as in the Otabind and RepKover systems The Book Designer describes. KOKUYO’s Campus Flat Notebook (キャンパスフラットが気持ちいいノート), on sale in Japan from December 13, 2023 at ¥231 (about US$1.50), uses a glued binding built to open flat from page one, per Impress Watch.
Wire or spiral: holes punched along the edge take a coil or twin wire, so the book opens flat and folds back on itself. The trade-off is a coil that can bend.
Rings: like wire, but softer (KOKUYO’s resin rings give under your hand) or openable (LIHIT LAB’s rings let you add leaves).

A plain glued (perfect) binding, used in most school notebooks such as the standard Campus, holds pages with glue alone, so the middle bows up and forcing it flat can crack the spine.

Sewn or ring: which should you choose?

Choose sewn for a book you’ll keep and write across both pages; choose rings or wire if you want to fold it back in one hand or add pages. A sewn notebook gives you a true two-page spread with no gap, which suits planners, journals and drawing across the fold.

Ring and spiral books leave a gap in the middle but fold back to half their width, which helps on a lap or a crowded desk. They also let you tear out perforated pages cleanly, as on the Rollbahn and Soft Ring.

Which lay-flat notebook is best for fountain pens?

The Midori MD Notebook, the Apica Premium C.D. and the Hobonichi Techo, three sewn books with papers fountain pen users favor. Midori makes its own 80 g/m² MD Paper, Apica uses its A.Silky 865, and Hobonichi uses thin Tomoe River S; see each guide for the paper details. For more, see our best notebooks by use.

Which popular notebooks didn’t make the list?

Good notebooks whose makers don’t say they lie flat. STALOGY’s 365Days product page doesn’t mention how it opens, the Maruman Mnemosyne N195A’s lie-flat claim comes only from a customer review, and the LIFE Noble Note’s comes only from retailers. The standard KOKUYO Campus is glued.

The Rollbahn comes in many more sizes than the L; our Rollbahn sizes and colors guide lists them all.

Where are they made?

Three in Japan, one in China, one in Taiwan or Germany, and three not stated. Midori, Apica and DELFONICS list Japan; retailers give China for the Moleskine and Taiwan or Germany for the Leuchtturm1917; Hobonichi, KOKUYO and LIHIT LAB don’t state a country for these models.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of binding makes a notebook lie flat?

Thread sewing through the fold, wire or spiral binding, and rings all let a notebook lie flat. Ordinary glued (perfect) binding usually doesn't, unless it's a flat-opening glued design such as KOKUYO's Campus Flat Notebook.

Is Smyth sewn the same as lay-flat?

Not exactly. Smyth sewing stitches folded sections through the fold, which is what lets most sewn notebooks lie flat, but a tight cover or a new spine can still spring up until it's broken in.

Does a Moleskine lie flat?

Moleskine's Italian site says the Classic Notebook opens a full 180°. Very first and last pages of any hardcover lie flattest after a little use.

Which notebooks fold back on themselves?

Ring and spiral books. KOKUYO says the Soft Ring's pages fold back 360°, LIHIT LAB says the same of the Twist Ring, and DELFONICS says the Rollbahn's ring folds back 360°.

What is the best lay-flat notebook for fountain pens?

The Midori MD Notebook or the Apica Premium C.D. Both are sewn, and their papers are favorites with fountain pen users; we haven't run our own ink tests yet.

Is the KOKUYO Campus notebook lay-flat?

The standard Campus is glued, so it doesn't open fully flat. KOKUYO's separate Campus Flat Notebook, sold in Japan since December 2023, is built to open flat from the first page.

Can I make a notebook lie flat?

Sewn notebooks loosen with use: open the book at several points and press gently along the fold. Don't force a glued notebook flat, because the spine can crack and drop pages.

Sources (11)

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