It’s been extremely quiet on my blog recently as my day job has been keeping me overwhelmingly busy.
To prove that I’m still alive I thought I show you what the postman brought yesterday.
It has (again) been an expensive luxury: after import fees, import handling and shipping has been added the final bill was eye-watering. In the end the cost of the actual diary was nearly exactly 30% of the total cost of getting it from Japan to the UK.
The Journal Shop (https://www.thejournalshop.com) imports a special English language version of the Hobonichi Techo as well as more exotic versions such as the larger “Cousin”, but they are also quite expensive. I think in the days pre-Brexit when the £ was worth something – it might have been cheaper to import directly form Japan. That has no doubt changed.
I also bit the bullet and imported a 2018 Hobonichi (to the US, which thankfully doesn’t require outrageous customs fees yet). Unfortunately, it’ll be several weeks before I see mine as I decided to get the Steiff special edition. Couldn’t resist the little bear face on the cover of that one.
There’s just something about these little notebooks that make them feel worth it despite the ridiculous cost. I may go cheap on pens, but nice paper and ink are a requirement for me.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Amro, I saw the one from the Journal Shop, but decided against ordering from them – mainly because I want the ‘avec’ version which they don’t sell. My idea version would be September to August (more about this at https://bleistift.blog/2016/07/my-new-diary-hint-its-a-hobonichi-techo/ ), so using the ‘avec’ version is the closest to my needs. I was shocked to see how much less I paid in £ in the past… Have you used a Hobonichi?
Economical Penster, good you didn’t have to pay high customs fees. Did you also get the Steiff cover/case, too?
There used to be Fauxbonichis from Taiwan. Virtually the same as the real things, but on normal paper. Unfortunately they seemed to have stopped selling them – or I can’t find them anymore ..otherwise I would have tried one. I’ve got some free German diaries (handed out by companies to customers) from decades ago. Layout-wise they are quite similar to the Hobonichis and even offer some nice extra features, but of course they do only use normal (but good) paper.
Yes, that one is more useful.
I have used one for a few years now – my siister got me me one from Japan and I’ve been hooked ever since.
In previous years I’ve bought directly from Japan (pre Brexit, the £ to ¥ conversion rate was very favourable!).
This year I got the “Cousin” version after friend raved about it … I already think it’s a mistake! Sigh!
So I guess yours was from the Journal Shop?
If you prefer a smaller version I’m happy to offer you my A6 Japanese avec and give you the price difference between the A5 and A6 version.
I did not get the fuzzy Steiff cover, which I find highly amusing but not really my aesthetic. They were long sold out by the time I ordered my Hobo, and I only managed to get the Steiff Techo planner because they decided to do a second print run.
The idea of a fauxbonichi is interesting, but what I love most about the real thing is the paper. I hear the Stalogy 365 and Midori MD A6 notebooks are close, and perhaps one day I’ll give them a look.
PS: I think your Blog Roll widget might be stuck… I’m pretty sure The Well Appointed Desk has posted more recently than 4 weeks ago. 😉
I’m happy to hear that you will use a Hobonichi Techo in the next year! I got the English version again, and it’s the fifth year in succession that I will use it. It’s an amazing product, and I have never enjoyed a caledar/diary/notebook etc. as much as I enjoy the Hobonichi Techo.
Thank you for your comments.
Economical Penster, Thanks for telling me about the widget. It should be fixed now.
The Tomoe paper is great and most of my notes are in pencil, but if I use something inky you can see it on the other side, one disadvantage of the otherwise excellent paper – but the real reason I would have gone for a fauxbonichi would have been to save money…
Gunther, did you have a favourite before the Hobonichi came along?
Hi!
The are available on UK shop “The journal shop” and in the IT shop “Stilo e Stile”. I ordered from the second the pack of cousin plus the black and mint cover, with shipping, i payed 70€ and i got it in a week. No custom duties 😉