Compiled from 4 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The Maruman Mnemosyne N161 is a tiny A8 memo pad from Japan's Maruman. It measures 105 × 50 × 8 mm and holds 65 micro-perforated sheets of 80 g/m² writing paper, printed on one side with a 5 mm grid. The sheets are glued and stapled at the top, with board covers front and back.
On this page11 sections
The A8 pad twice life size, closed and flipped open (1 mm = 2 px).
Product facts
Product
Maruman Mnemosyne Memo Pad A8 (N161), 5 mm grid, 65 sheets
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Notes on these facts
Made by Maruman Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: Maruman's Japanese product page for the N161 gives the country of manufacture (生産国) as Japan (read October 22, 2026). Source. Price: example listing.
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
Size: 105 × 50 × 8 mm (4.1 × 2 in), weight 34 g; the paper area is 93 × 50 mm, per Maruman.
65 sheets of 80 g/m² writing paper, 5 mm grid on one side only, perforated for clean tear-off.
Top-glued and stapled binding with colour board covers front and back.
Maruman Japan lists it at ¥308 (about US$1.90) and states made in Japan; JAN 4979093161003.
Its Amazon US listing had 755 ratings and ranked No. 26 in Stationery Notepads on October 22, 2026.
What is the Mnemosyne N161?
The N161 is the smallest pad in Maruman’s Mnemosyne line: an A8, top-bound memo pad for pocket notes. Maruman calls it the pocket-size Mnemosyne that still lets you write properly, with a full-page grid you can use upright or sideways.
Mnemosyne is Maruman’s business range, best known in the US for the N195A A5 notebook. The N161 uses the same 80 g/m² paper in a pad you can carry anywhere.
Mnemosyne N161 specs
Spec
Value
Model
N161 (A8)
Size
105 × 50 × 8 mm (4.1 × 2 × 0.3 in)
Paper area
93 × 50 mm (3.7 × 2 in)
Weight
34 g (1.2 oz)
Sheets
65
Paper
80 g/m² writing paper
Ruling
5 mm grid, one side only
Perforated
Yes
Binding
Glued and stapled at the top
Covers
Colour board, front and back
Japan price
¥308 (about US$1.90)
Made in
Japan
All figures come from Maruman’s Japanese product page, read on October 22, 2026. On Amazon US the N161 usually sells in our $ band (under $5).
How does the N161 compare to the N162 long pad?
The N162 is the tall, list-shaped sibling: nearly twice as long, a little wider, with 50 sheets.
The two top-bound Mnemosyne pads at the same scale (1 mm = 1 px).
N161 (A8)
N162 (long)
Size
105 × 50 × 8 mm
200 × 75 × 7 mm
Sheets
65
50
Weight
34 g
78 g
Japan price
¥308 (about US$1.90)
¥418 (about US$2.60)
Pick the N161 for a pocket, the N162 for to-do lists on a narrow desk. Maruman says the N162 fits a pocket too and works on a cramped desk.
How do people use an A8 pad?
As a pocket scratch pad: lists, phone numbers, quick sketches and notes to hand over. At 50 mm wide it fits a shirt pocket or a wallet-sized case, and the stiff board back gives you something to press on when you write standing up.
Because the grid runs edge to edge and is printed on one side only, the sheet works in either orientation, which Maruman points out. Tear a sheet off along the perforation and the 93 × 50 mm note keeps a clean top edge.
What other Mnemosyne pads are there?
The Mnemosyne line also has legal-pad style pads, such as a vertical A7 with a 5 mm grid and a vertical A5 with 8 mm rules, on Amazon US. Check each listing’s sheet count and ruling before you buy, since the line mixes grids and rules.
Is the paper good for fountain pens?
Maruman doesn’t make a fountain-pen claim for the N161, and we haven’t tested it yet. The 80 g/m² sheet is heavier than most memo pad paper, and the grid is printed on one side only, so the back stays blank.
Yes for a niche Japanese pad: its Amazon US listing had 755 ratings and ranked No. 26 in Stationery Notepads on October 22, 2026. The listing’s ratings are shared with other Mnemosyne pad sizes, so the count covers the family, not the A8 alone.
Where is the Mnemosyne N161 made?
In Japan. Maruman’s Japanese product page lists Japan as the country of manufacture. Maruman, per its history page, was founded in Kanda, Tokyo, in 1920 and began by making sketchbooks for schools.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Mnemosyne N161?
105 × 50 × 8 mm (4.1 × 2 × 0.3 in), the A8 size, per Maruman. It fits a shirt pocket or the palm of your hand.
How many sheets does the Mnemosyne A8 memo pad have?
65 sheets, printed with a 5 mm grid on one side only, and every sheet is perforated so it tears off cleanly.
Can you use the N161 sideways?
Yes. Maruman says the grid covers the whole page so you can write vertically or horizontally.
What paper does the N161 use?
80 g/m² writing paper (筆記用紙), the same weight as the Mnemosyne A5 notebooks, per Maruman's spec sheets.
What is the Mnemosyne N162?
The long-format pad: 200 × 75 × 7 mm, 50 sheets with the same one-sided 5 mm grid and perforations, at ¥418 (about US$2.60) in Japan.
Is the Mnemosyne memo pad made in Japan?
Yes. Maruman's product page lists Japan as the country of manufacture.
