--- title: "Hobonichi Techo vs Jibun Techo: Daily Pages or 24 Hours" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/hobonichi-techo-vs-jibun-techo/" description: "Hobonichi Techo vs KOKUYO Jibun Techo: page-a-day journal vs 24-hour weekly planner. Sizes, layouts, paper, what's in the set, prices and which to buy." category: "Notebooks" type: "Planner" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-24 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 8 products: - name: "Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6, 2027 (English or Japanese; January or April start)" brand: "Hobonichi" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Tomoe River paper (Tomoe River S since the 2024 edition), thread-sewn binding" released: "2001-10-05" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)" url: "https://www.1101.com/store/techo/ja/2027/pc/detail_cover/ob27_jan_en/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/hobonichi-techo-original/" - name: "Hobonichi Techo Cousin Book 2027, A5, English, January start" brand: "Hobonichi" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Tomoe River S paper, thread-sewn binding" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)" model: "Cousin Book 2027, English, January start (cb27_jan_en)" url: "https://www.1101.com/store/techo/ja/2027/pc/detail_cover/cb27_jan_en/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/hobonichi-cousin/" - name: "KOKUYO Jibun Techo First Kit 2027 (DIARY + LIFE + IDEA), A5 Slim" brand: "KOKUYO" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Clear matte PVC cover with pen holder; KOKUYO THIN PAPER (DIARY, IDEA) and MIO PAPER (LIFE)" released: "2013" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "KOKUYO Co., Ltd." model: "NI-JF1W-27" mpn: "NI-JF1W-27" gtin: "4901480443713" url: "https://www.kokuyo.com/stationery/category/diary/diary/23240/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-jibun-techo-first-kit/" --- # Hobonichi Techo vs Jibun Techo: Daily Pages or 24 Hours > The Hobonichi Techo is a page-a-day book: one 3.7 mm grid page per day, in A6 (Original) or A5 (Cousin). The KOKUYO Jibun Techo is a weekly planner with seven columns crossed by a 24-hour timeline, in a 217 × 136 mm A5 Slim set of three books. Pick Hobonichi to journal, Jibun Techo to time-block. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/hobonichi-techo-vs-jibun-techo/ - Category: Notebooks - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-24 ![Hobonichi Techo Original (A6) and Cousin (A5) next to a KOKUYO Jibun Techo First Kit (A5 Slim), closed and drawn to scale](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/hobonichi-techo-vs-jibun-techo-16x9.png) *Two page-a-day books and one 24-hour weekly kit, at one scale.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6, 2027 (English or Japanese; January or April start) | Hobonichi (by Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Not stated | Tomoe River paper (Tomoe River S since the 2024 edition), thread-sewn binding | 2001-10-05 | $$$: $20–75 per notebook | | Hobonichi Techo Cousin Book 2027, A5, English, January start | Hobonichi (by Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Japan | Tomoe River S paper, thread-sewn binding | – | $$$: $20–75 per notebook | | KOKUYO Jibun Techo First Kit 2027 (DIARY + LIFE + IDEA), A5 Slim | KOKUYO (by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.) | Japan | Japan | Clear matte PVC cover with pen holder; KOKUYO THIN PAPER (DIARY, IDEA) and MIO PAPER (LIFE) | 2013 | $$$: $20–75 per notebook | - Made in (Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6, 2027 (English or Japanese; January or April start)): 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. - Made in (Hobonichi Techo Cousin Book 2027, A5, English, January start): Japan. Per Boston General Store's 2027 Cousin listing, which files it in its Made in Japan collection. Hobonichi's Japanese store page for the 2027 English Cousin gives size, weight, pages and paper but no country of manufacture (it names one only for a free charm, made in China). Source: https://www.bostongeneralstore.com/collections/made-in-japan/products/hobonichi-techo-book-cousin-a5 - Made in (KOKUYO Jibun Techo First Kit 2027 (DIARY + LIFE + IDEA), A5 Slim): Japan. KOKUYO's global online store gives Country of Origin: Japan for the 2027 First Kit and the 2027 DIARY and Biz; The Journal Shop and Nomado also say Japan. KOKUYO's Japanese product page doesn't list the field. Source: https://www.kokuyostore.com/en_US/jibun_techo/jibun-techo-firstkit-%28diary%2Bidea%2Blife%29-2027-a5-slim/NI-JF1-27.html ## Key takeaways - Sizes: Hobonichi Original 148 × 105 × 15 mm (A6), Cousin 210 × 148 × 18 mm (A5); Jibun Techo First Kit 217 × 136 mm (A5 Slim). - The 2027 Original has 464 pages and the Cousin 544, each with 377 daily pages; the Jibun Techo DIARY has 112 sheets. - Hobonichi uses Tomoe River paper with a 3.7 mm grid; KOKUYO uses its own THIN PAPER in the DIARY and IDEA books and doesn't publish a weight. - Japanese list prices: Original ¥2,860 (about US$18) and Cousin ¥4,620 (about US$29) with tax; Jibun Techo First Kit ¥5,000 (about US$32) before tax. - All three sit in our $$$ band ($20–75) in the US; Hobonichi's books come without a cover, while the First Kit includes a clear PVC cover. ## Is the Hobonichi Techo or the Jibun Techo better? **The Hobonichi Techo is better for journaling and the Jibun Techo is better for planning your week by the hour.** Both are Japanese planners on thin, light paper with English-speaking fan bases, but they're built around different pages. The [Hobonichi Techo Original](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/hobonichi-techo-original/) and the A5 [Hobonichi Cousin](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/hobonichi-cousin/) give each day a full grid page. The [KOKUYO Jibun Techo First Kit](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-jibun-techo-first-kit/) gives each week one spread of seven columns crossed by 24 hours, plus two extra books. ## How do they compare? **The Cousin and the Jibun Techo are close in height; the Jibun Techo is narrower and splits its pages differently.** | | Hobonichi Original | Hobonichi Cousin | Jibun Techo First Kit | |---|---|---|---| | Size | A6, 148 × 105 × 15 mm (5.8 × 4.1 in) | A5, 210 × 148 × 18 mm (8.3 × 5.8 in) | A5 Slim, 217 × 136 mm (8.5 × 5.4 in) | | Main layout | One page a day | One page a day plus vertical weeks | Weekly vertical, 24 hours | | Pages | 464 | 544 | DIARY 112 sheets, plus LIFE and IDEA | | Paper | Tomoe River S, 3.7 mm grid | Tomoe River S, 3.7 mm grid | KOKUYO THIN PAPER; MIO PAPER in LIFE | | Cover | Sold separately | Sold separately | Clear PVC cover included | | Weight | About 195 g | About 445 g | Not published | | Japan list price | ¥2,860 (about US$18) with tax | ¥4,620 (about US$29) with tax | ¥5,000 (about US$32) before tax | | Made in | Not stated | Japan | Japan (KOKUYO global store) | | Price band | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ | Figures are from Hobonichi's Japanese store and KOKUYO's Japanese product pages for the 2027 editions. ![Page sizes to scale at 1 mm = 1.1 px: Hobonichi Original A6 105 × 148 mm with one day per page, Hobonichi Cousin A5 148 × 210 mm with one day per page, and Jibun Techo A5 Slim 136 × 217 mm with a week across a spread on a 24-hour timeline](https://stationerytimes.com/images/hobonichi-techo-vs-jibun-techo-pages.svg) *The three page sizes at one scale, with how each one divides time.* ## How are the pages laid out? **Hobonichi gives you a day; the Jibun Techo gives you a week of hours.** A Hobonichi daily page has a 3.7 mm grid with, in the Cousin, a time scale and checkboxes; the Original's daily section runs 377 pages from January 1 to December 31, 2027. KOKUYO's DIARY puts seven day columns across a spread with a 24-hour timeline, so you log sleep, work and exercise as blocks. Its monthly pages run from November 2026 to March 2028. ## What do you get in the box? **One book from Hobonichi; three books, a cover and a ruler from KOKUYO.** Hobonichi sells the book on its own and covers separately, which is part of its appeal. KOKUYO's First Kit adds LIFE, a booklet for records you keep for years, and IDEA, a 40-sheet 3 mm grid notebook at 210 × 125 mm, plus a ruler, all in a clear PVC cover with a pen holder. When IDEA fills up you swap in a refill. ## Which paper handles fountain pens and markers? **Both use thin paper so a full year stays light; we haven't tested either with fountain pens yet.** Hobonichi uses Tomoe River, switched to Tomoe River S from the 2024 edition; our [Tomoe River paper guide](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tomoe-river-paper/) explains why fountain pen users like it. KOKUYO says its THIN PAPER resists show-through and stays flat when you rub out erasable ink. Neither maker publishes a paper weight for the 2027 books. ## Which should you buy for 2027? **Buy a Hobonichi if you want a daily journal; buy the Jibun Techo if you plan by the hour.** - **Hobonichi Original:** the portable A6 page-a-day book, light enough for a bag. - **Hobonichi Cousin:** A5 daily pages plus vertical weeks, the closest Hobonichi gets to the Jibun Techo. - **Jibun Techo First Kit:** a 24-hour weekly planner with life-log and idea books in one cover. Our [Hobonichi lineup explainer](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/hobonichi-techo-lineup-explained/) covers the Weeks and 5-Year models too, and [best planners for 2027](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-planners-2027/) compares Western options. ## Where are they made? **KOKUYO's global store lists the Jibun Techo First Kit as made in Japan, and retailers list the Cousin as made in Japan.** Hobonichi's store doesn't state a country for the Original book, so check the back of the book. ## Frequently asked questions ### Hobonichi vs Jibun Techo: which is better for journaling? The Hobonichi. It gives every day its own grid page, while the Jibun Techo's weekly columns leave room for a few lines a day plus a timeline. ### Which is better for time-blocking? The Jibun Techo. Each weekly spread crosses seven day columns with a 24-hour timeline. The Hobonichi Cousin's vertical weekly pages are the closest Hobonichi equivalent. ### Does the Jibun Techo use Tomoe River paper? Not in the 2027 edition. KOKUYO says the DIARY and IDEA books use its own THIN PAPER, made to resist show-through, and the LIFE book uses MIO PAPER. ### Is there an English Jibun Techo? KOKUYO's 2027 product pages we read are Japanese and don't list an English edition, though the dates and numbers are easy to follow. Hobonichi sells English editions of the Original and Cousin. ### Will a Hobonichi cover fit the Jibun Techo? No. The Jibun Techo is A5 Slim, 217 × 136 mm, which is 12 mm narrower and a little taller than the A5 Cousin, so it needs a Jibun Techo or A5 Slim cover. ### When do the 2027 planners go on sale? Hobonichi put its 2027 lineup on sale on September 1, 2026; KOKUYO's August 7, 2026 press release put the 2027 Jibun Techo range on sale from mid-September 2026. ### Which is lighter to carry? The Hobonichi Original, at about 195 g and A6. The A5 Cousin weighs about 445 g; KOKUYO doesn't publish a weight for the First Kit. ## Sources - [手帳本体オリジナル 英語版 - ほぼ日手帳 2027 (Hobonichi Japanese store: 2027 English Original, 148 × 105 × 15 mm, about 195 g, 464 pages, ¥2,860)](https://www.1101.com/store/techo/ja/2027/pc/detail_cover/ob27_jan_en/) - [オリジナル - 手帳タイプ別ガイド - ほぼ日手帳 2027 (Hobonichi guide: 3.7 mm grid, Tomoe River, thread-sewn binding)](https://www.1101.com/store/techo/ja/2027/all_about/original/) - [手帳本体カズン 英語版 - ほぼ日手帳 2027 (Hobonichi Japanese store: 210 × 148 × 18 mm, about 445 g, 544 pages, 106 weekly pages, ¥4,620)](https://www.1101.com/store/techo/ja/2027/pc/detail_cover/cb27_jan_en/) - [カズン - 手帳タイプ別ガイド - ほぼ日手帳 2027 (Hobonichi guide: vertical weekly pages only in the Cousin)](https://www.1101.com/store/techo/ja/2027/all_about/cousin/) - [Hobonichi Techo NEWS: 2027 lineup on sale September 1, 2026](https://www.1101.com/pl/techo_news_en/statuses/469846) - [ジブン手帳2027（ファーストキット）A5スリム 1月始まり ホワイト (KOKUYO Japan: ニ-JF1W-27, ¥5,000 before tax, 217 × 136 mm, 112 sheets, THIN PAPER and MIO PAPER)](https://www.kokuyo.com/stationery/category/diary/diary/23240/) - [ジブン手帳ファーストキット (KOKUYO Japan First Kit page: A5 Slim and B6 Slim kits, refills)](https://www.kokuyo.com/stationery/series/jibun-techo/firstkit/) - [ジブン手帳 IDEA A5スリム (KOKUYO Japan: 210 × 125 mm, 40 sheets, 3 mm grid, THIN PAPER)](https://www.kokuyo.com/stationery/category/diary/diary/9068/)