Midori 5-Year Diary Gate: MD Paper, Size & Sleeve

Drawing of the Midori 5-Year Diary Gate to scale: a brown sleeve 192 mm tall, the black cloth diary 185 × 117 mm with a gold arched double door, and the diary open on the July gate page and the July 7 page split into five years — The 5-Year Diary Gate with its sleeve, and open on a monthly gate page (1 mm = 1 px).

Product facts

Product: Midori 5-Year Diary Gate (standard size, black cloth)
Brand: Midori
Brand origin: Japan
Made in: Japan^*
Material: Cloth cover with gold foil stamping; MD Paper (cream), thread-sewn
Released: 2012^*
Price range: $$$$20–75 per notebook

Notes on these facts

Made by Designphil Inc. (Tokyo). Made in Japan: per Papeterie Makkura's listing for the black 5-Year Diary (Origin: Made in Japan). Midori's Japanese store page and its English Multi-Year Diary Gate page give sizes and materials but no country of manufacture. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Year the Gate (扉) multi-year diary line launched, worked back from Serai's report that Midori marked the line's 10th anniversary with an exhibition on December 11, 2022. Midori doesn't give a launch date for the 5-year book itself.
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

Midori lists the diary at H185 × W117 × D25 mm (7.3 × 4.6 × 1 in) and its sleeve at H192 × W120 × D30 mm.
It has 366 diary pages of cream MD Paper ruled at 6 mm, plus 3 appendix pages, thread-sewn, with 2 bookmark strings.
Midori's Japanese store lists the black 5-Year Diary Gate (12396006) at ¥3,410 (about US$22) including tax; US shops sell it in our $$$ band ($20–75).
The Gate Mini is 117 × 154 × 24 mm with 7 mm ruling, and Midori also makes 3-year and 10-year Gate diaries.
Papeterie Makkura lists the black 5-Year Diary as made in Japan.

What is the Midori 5-Year Diary?

The Midori 5-Year Diary Gate is a Japanese five-year diary: each page is one date, with five short sections for the same day across five years. Midori calls it a diary that lets you meet last year’s self (去年の自分に会える日記).

It belongs to Midori’s Gate (扉) line of multi-year diaries, made in 3-year, 5-year and 10-year versions. Serai reported that Midori marked the line’s 10th anniversary on December 11, 2022. Midori is a brand of Designphil Inc. in Tokyo.

Midori 5-Year Diary specs

Spec	5-Year Diary Gate (standard size)
Diary size	H185 × W117 × D25 mm (7.3 × 4.6 × 1 in)
Sleeve size	H192 × W120 × D30 mm
Pages	366 diary pages + 3 appendix pages
Paper	MD Paper, cream
Ruling	6 mm horizontal lines
Binding	Thread-sewn (糸かがり綴じ)
Cover	Cloth, gold foil stamping
Bookmarks	2 strings
Colors	Black (12396006) or Red (12851006)
JAN (black)	4902805123969
Price in Japan	¥3,410 (about US$22) including tax

The figures come from Midori’s Japanese store page for the black Gate, and its English Multi-Year Diary Gate page gives the same sizes, paper and ruling. Well-Appointed Desk measured its copy at around 13 oz (about 370 g) and lists 7 mm ruling; we use Midori’s 6 mm.

To-scale drawing of the Midori 5-Year Diary Gate, 117 × 185 mm, against the Gate Mini at 117 × 154 mm and the sleeve at 120 × 192 mm — The standard Gate, the Gate Mini and the standard sleeve, at the sizes Midori lists.

How does a Midori 5-Year Diary page work?

Each page carries a date such as 7/7 at the top and five ruled sections, each starting 20 . . so you fill in the year and date. Midori’s photos show this layout, with the caption 5年分を1ページに記入します (write five years on one page).

Each month opens with its own page and a different gate (door) illustration, which also marks the month at the page edge. With 366 pages, there is room for February 29.

Is the Midori 5-Year Diary good for fountain pens?

Reviewers say yes: its pages are Midori’s MD Paper, and it is the fountain-pen pick in our five-year roundup. Well-Appointed Desk chose it over the Hobonichi 5-Year Techo because Tomoe River felt too thin for a book written on both sides for five years, and found the MD Paper handled its fountain pens and inks well.

Midori’s own store adds a floral blotter sheet to online orders while stocks last, for drying fountain-pen ink. We haven’t tested the paper ourselves yet.

How does the Midori 5-Year Diary compare to other five-year journals?

The Midori sits between the pocket-size US books and the A5 Leuchtturm1917, with the best-known paper of the group.

	Midori 5-Year Gate	Hobonichi 5-Year A6	One Line a Day	Some Lines a Day
Size	117 × 185 × 25 mm	113 × 153 × 25 mm	102 × 165 × 34 mm	145 × 210 mm
Pages	366 + 3	752	372	365
Paper	MD Paper, 6 mm lines	Tomoe River, grid	Not stated	80 g/m²
Years	Write in (20 . .)	Printed 2027–2031	Write in	Write in (20__)
Price band	$$$	$$$	$$	$$$

The Hobonichi 5-Year Techo adds a free grid page facing every date but prints the years, so it starts on January 1. One Line a Day is the cheaper US original. Our best 5-year journals roundup ranks all five; for the same paper in a plain notebook, see the Midori MD Notebook A5.

Which Midori multi-year diary should you choose?

Choose the standard 5-Year Gate for writing room, the Gate Mini to carry, and the 3-year or 10-year Gate for a shorter or longer span.

5-Year Gate: 117 × 185 mm, 6 mm lines, black or red.
5-Year Gate Mini: 117 × 154 mm, 7 mm lines, so fewer lines per year; Midori’s store lists it at ¥3,080 (about US$19).
3-Year and 10-Year Gate: Midori’s English page lists the 3-Year Gate at the same 117 × 185 mm size with 7 mm ruling.
Midori’s Japanese store also sells embroidered, recycled-leather and classic 5-year designs; not all are sold in the US.

Where is the Midori 5-Year Diary made?

Papeterie Makkura lists the black 5-Year Diary as made in Japan. Midori’s Japanese and English pages don’t state a country of manufacture.

Frequently asked questions

What size is the Midori 5-Year Diary?

Midori lists the standard 5-Year Diary Gate at 185 mm tall, 117 mm wide and 25 mm thick (7.3 × 4.6 × 1 in). The Gate Mini is 154 mm tall and 24 mm thick at the same width.

Does the Midori 5-Year Diary have a page for February 29?

Midori lists 366 diary pages, one more than the days in a common year, which matches one page per date including February 29. Its product page doesn't spell it out, so check the February pages in a shop.

Is the Midori 5-Year Diary dated?

Only by day and month. Midori's product photos show each section starting 20 . . for you to write the year and date, so you can start on any day.

Is the Midori 5-Year Diary good for fountain pens?

Its pages are Midori's MD Paper, and Well-Appointed Desk found it handled several fountain pens and inks well. Midori's Japanese store even includes a blotter sheet for fountain-pen ink with online orders. We haven't tested it ourselves.

What is the difference between the 5-Year Diary Gate and the Gate Mini?

The Mini is 31 mm shorter, 117 × 154 mm against 117 × 185 mm, with 7 mm ruling instead of 6 mm, per Midori. Both have 366 pages of MD Paper, thread binding and two bookmark strings.

What does Gate mean in Midori's diary name?

It translates 扉, door. Midori says each month opens with a page showing a different gate illustration, and the cover is foil-stamped with an arched double door.

How much does the Midori 5-Year Diary cost?

Midori's Japanese store lists the black Gate at ¥3,410 (about US$22) including tax. Papeterie Makkura sells it at €49 (about US$55), and US shops sell it in our $$$ band ($20–75).

Where is the Midori 5-Year Diary made?

Papeterie Makkura lists it as made in Japan. Midori, a brand of Tokyo-based Designphil, doesn't state the country on its own pages.

Sources (8)

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