Japanese public broadcaster NHK has obtained documents showing that former Emperor Hirohito repeatedly felt sorry about World War II and tried, unsuccessfully, to express his feelings by using the word “remorse†in a 1952 speech. The records of conversations with Hirohito spanning several years were kept by Michiji Tajima, a top Imperial Household Agency official … Continue reading Post-War Japanese Notebooks Recording Hirohito’s Regrets→
Yet another reason I’m dying to go to Japan! This library in central Tokyo is like no other. Instead of offering volumes ranging from the usual, it displays the decidedly unusual. How about a bittersweet story of unrequited love between two high school students, a man’s passion for job-hunting or someone’s fixation on a pop … Continue reading Techorui Toshoshitsu: A Library of Notebooks→
I continue to use my Nolty notebooks quite faithfully. A couple of weeks ago I started seeing news online about the 2020 Nolty diary offerings, which go on sale in September. Once again, I’ve been exploring the Nolty website with the help of Google Translate to try to figure out the various options! The new … Continue reading 2020 Nolty Diary Line-Up→
Spotted for sale at Lee-Jackson Militaria, a pretty cool looking old soldier’s notebook. I’m not sure if this is from World War II or earlier. See other military notebooks from the archives.
This week’s addict is a designer and illustrator who has filled a nice row of Moleskine journals: What’s inside is even better: beautiful travel collages! For the past several years, I’ve keep a sketchbook that I use for everyday notes, ideas, lists, sketches, as well as travel collages. I carry it with me everywhere and, … Continue reading Notebook Addict of the Week: Naomi Leeman→
I found this week’s addict on Instagram, where he displays an amazing 38 year loyalty to the Nolty diary. (The original text is in Japanese, but has been auto-translated into English in the image above.) See more at @motohashinobuhiro 5884
Here’s something actually kind of interesting for a change! The late, great Moleskinerie website has been dormant since 2016, but its Japanese counterpart, Moleskinerie.jp, is still quite active. I noticed this recent article about new products being introduced at a Moleskine pop-up shop at Shibuya Loft. Moleskine Expanded Notebook Most exciting to me was the … Continue reading Moleskine Monday: Interesting News from Japan About New Products for Spring 2019→
As regular readers know, I am a big fan of the Nolty Diary. Also known as the “Efficiency Notebook,” this Japanese planner has deservedly become a cult favorite, with Instagram posts galore showing off how people use their Nolty diaries. After very happily using a Nolty diary all through 2018, I decided to spring for … Continue reading Review: Nolty Gold 2019 Diary/Planner→
I bought this adorable little notebook from JetPens. Although “etranger” is a French word, “di” is an Italian word, and Costa Rica is in Latin America, the company is Japanese. I guess it’s just that enjoyment of slightly absurd foreign phrases that you sometimes see on Japanese products, as there is also French text on … Continue reading Review: Etranger di Costa Rica Notebook→
I’ve been using my Nolty diary regularly and loving it. It’s a great size, has nice fountain pen friendly paper, and the design is cool in a classic, retro, business-y kind of way. I don’t understand Japanese, so I’m missing some of the benefits of the maps and info in the back, but that doesn’t … Continue reading My Growing Love for the Nolty Diary→
Notebooks, journals, sketchbooks, diaries: in search of the perfect page…
