Best Notebook Charms (2027): Brass, Mini & Clip-On

Five notebook charm picks drawn to one scale: TRAVELER'S TOKYO charms, the 20th anniversary tin, Hobonichi mini keychain, Hobonichi book band and Midori bookmarker — The five picks at one scale, 1 mm = 0.75 px.

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
TRAVELER'S COMPANY Brass Charm TOKYO, set of 2 (taiyaki and sakura), No. 62339006Traveler's Company	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per item
Hobonichi Techo Mini Keychain (Red, Blue × Pink or Bright Plaid)Hobonichi	Japan	China^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per item
Hobonichi Yumi Kitagishi Book Band with Charm, White CatHobonichi	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per item
Midori Bookmarker Embroidery (Long-tailed Tit 62326006 and five other designs)Midori	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$5–20 per item
TRAVELER'S notebook 20th Anniversary Customization Set (brass charm, brass clip, stickers, stamps, guide)Traveler's Company	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$$over $75 per item

Notes on these facts

TRAVELER'S COMPANY Brass Charm TOKYO, set of 2 (taiyaki and sakura), No. 62339006: Made by Designphil Inc. (Tokyo). Made in Japan: Traveler's Company's TOKYO EDITION page prints MADE IN JAPAN under the package size and says a craftsman at a press factory near Tokyo stamps each charm one by one. Source.
Hobonichi Techo Mini Keychain (Red, Blue × Pink or Bright Plaid): Made by Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Made in China: Hobonichi's Japanese store page lists 原産国 (country of origin): 中国 (China). Source. Released: Hobonichi labels it 2027 NEW, part of the stationery lineup for the Hobonichi Techo 2027.
Hobonichi Yumi Kitagishi Book Band with Charm, White Cat: Made by Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Hobonichi's Japanese and English store pages give size, weight and materials but no country of origin, and the Amazon US listing doesn't state one either. Source. Released: Hobonichi labels it 2027 NEW, part of the stationery lineup for the Hobonichi Techo 2027.
Midori Bookmarker Embroidery (Long-tailed Tit 62326006 and five other designs): Made by Designphil Inc. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Midori's Japanese online store and its English product page give size, materials and fit but no country of origin, and the US retailer listings we read don't state one. Source.
TRAVELER'S notebook 20th Anniversary Customization Set (brass charm, brass clip, stickers, stamps, guide): Made by Designphil Inc. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Traveler's Company says the brass charm was made at a press factory near Tokyo, but it gives no country of manufacture for the set as a whole (tin, stickers, stamps and guide), so we list it as Not stated. Source. Released: Traveler's Company: on sale at 20th anniversary events in Japan from May 2026 and at TRAVELER'S FACTORY, TRAVELER'S COMPANY USA and partner shops from July 1, 2026.
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

Three of the five picks cost under ¥1,500 (about US$9.50) in Japan; the TRAVELER'S 20th set is ¥7,480 (about US$47).
The two TRAVELER'S picks are solid brass and darken with use; the TOKYO charms are made in Japan.
The Hobonichi Techo Mini Keychain is a 53 × 48 mm working replica with 40 grid pages; it is made in China.
The Midori Bookmarker Embroidery fits A6 to A5 by winding its 250 mm ribbon around the clip.
The Hobonichi Kitagishi book band holds 2 pens and fits the HON in A6 and A5.

What are the best notebook charms?

On published specs, the best notebook charms come from the brands whose notebooks they decorate: TRAVELER’S COMPANY, Hobonichi and Midori. There’s no single #1, because each charm is made for a different notebook, so we pick by the notebook you own.

Best for a TRAVELER’S notebook: TRAVELER’S COMPANY Brass Charm TOKYO. Why it’s here: Traveler’s Company made the taiyaki to slide along the closure elastic, and solid brass ages with the leather; it’s one of only two picks the maker says are made in Japan.
Best for Hobonichi fans: Hobonichi Techo Mini Keychain. Why it’s here: it’s the only charm that is itself a working notebook, a 53 × 48 mm Techo with 40 grid pages on a ball chain.
Best charm that does a job: Hobonichi Kitagishi Book Band with Charm. Why it’s here: unlike the purely decorative picks, it keeps a HON shut and holds two pens, with a white-cat charm on the band.
Best for any notebook: Midori Bookmarker Embroidery. Why it’s here: it’s the only pick not tied to one brand’s notebook: it clips inside any A6 to A5 cover and adds a ribbon, and it has the lowest Japan price here, ¥704 (about US$4.50).
Best collectible set: TRAVELER’S 20th Anniversary Customization Set. Why it’s here: it bundles a brass charm, a brass clip, stickers and stamps in a trunk tin, so it suits a collector; it costs several times more than the TOKYO charms.

How did we choose these picks?

We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: charms made by notebook brands for their own notebooks, with published sizes and materials, sold at US shops, compared on the makers’ claims and price band. We checked JetPens, Amazon US, Goulet Pens and the makers’ stores; most Amazon results for “notebook charm” were generic jewelry findings, which we skipped.

Goulet Pens doesn’t stock notebook charms. Leuchtturm1917 and Moleskine don’t sell charms; Leuchtturm1917’s add-on is a pen loop, not a charm.

How do the notebook charms compare?

Four of the five are in our $$ band ($5–20) at US shops; the 20th set sold above $75 at the US shop we checked.

Pick	Size (maker)	Material	Japan price	Band	Made in
TRAVELER’S TOKYO charms	Pack 128 × 96 mm (5.0 × 3.8 in)	Solid brass	¥1,760 (about US$11)	$$	Japan
Hobonichi mini keychain	53 × 48 × 9 mm (2.1 × 1.9 × 0.4 in)	Polyester, paper, brass chain	¥1,320 (about US$8.40)	$$	China
Hobonichi book band	40 × 160 × 6 mm (1.6 × 6.3 in)	Elastic, PU charm	¥1,430 (about US$9.10)	$$	Not stated
Midori bookmarker	305–308 mm (12 in) long	Rayon, polyester, paper clip	¥704 (about US$4.50)	$$	Not stated
TRAVELER’S 20th set	Tin 115 × 192 × 52 mm (4.5 × 7.6 × 2.0 in)	Tin, brass, paper	¥7,480 (about US$47)	$$$$	Not stated

Table of how each notebook charm pick attaches: elastic, cord, ball chain, band or clip, and which notebooks each suits — How each pick attaches, from the makers' descriptions.

Which charm suits a TRAVELER’S notebook?

The TOKYO brass charms: Traveler’s Company made the taiyaki to slide along the closure elastic. Brass also ages alongside the leather and the brand’s Brass Clip.

The 20th Anniversary set adds a second brass charm and a clip but costs several times more; buy it for the tin and the anniversary marks.

Which charm suits a Hobonichi Techo?

The mini keychain if you want something that’s purely fun; the Kitagishi book band if you also want a closure and pen holder. Both are 2027 Hobonichi accessories.

Hobonichi also gave a Plain Old Acorn Charm as a purchase bonus at its own stores for the 2027 books, but it isn’t sold on its own.

Which is best for a notebook without a ribbon?

The Midori Bookmarker Embroidery: it clips inside the cover and adds a ribbon with a charm on the end. Midori says to wind the 250 mm ribbon once for B6 and twice for A6.

Where are these charms made?

The TRAVELER’S TOKYO charms are made in Japan and the Hobonichi mini keychain in China, per the makers; the other three don’t state a country. All five come from Japanese brands, and a US import costs more than the Japan price.

For more TRAVELER’S add-ons, see our TRAVELER’S notebook system guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is a notebook charm?

A small decoration that hangs from a notebook's elastic, bookmark cord, pen loop or cover. Some also do a job, like a book band that keeps a planner shut or a clip-on bookmark.

What charm goes on a TRAVELER'S notebook?

Traveler's Company's own brass charms, such as the TOKYO taiyaki, which threads onto the closure elastic and slides along it. Solid brass darkens to match the leather as both age.

Does Hobonichi make charms for the Techo?

Yes. For 2027 it sells the Techo Mini Keychain, a tiny working Techo on a ball chain, and Yumi Kitagishi's book band with a white-cat charm; its own stores also gave an acorn charm as a purchase bonus.

How do you add a charm to a notebook without a ribbon?

Use a clip-on bookmark such as the Midori Bookmarker Embroidery, which grips the inside cover with a paper clip and ends in an embroidered charm.

Do notebook charms damage the cover?

Heavy metal charms can rub a leather cover, which many TRAVELER'S owners accept as patina. Fabric and faux-leather charms are gentler; we haven't tested wear yet.

What is a good stationery gift under $20?

Any of the three $$-band charms here: the TRAVELER'S TOKYO brass charms, the Hobonichi mini keychain or the Midori embroidery bookmark, all imported from Japanese brands.

Sources (7)

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