Hi everyone, this is Kawabata from the techo team. For the 2026 edition, we collaborated with Tolight for the very first time. Have you had a chance to take a look? If not, you can find the lineup here.

This time, I’d like to share more about how Tolight began and the behind-the-scenes story of how these covers were made—things we haven’t been able to fully talk about until now.

The Tolight covers and Weeks feature lush, vivid flowers painted in acrylics. They’re filled with the lively charm of plants in full bloom.

- Tolight: Garden of Botany - Original Size (A6)
- Tolight: Garden of Botany - Cousin Size (A5)
- Tolight: A Bright Year - Weeks

Tolight: a brand built around the designers' own drawings.



The botanical artwork printed on the covers was created specifically for the Hobonichi Techo by Tolight designer Mei Aoyama.



Tolight officially launched in 2021. Their work—painting flowers onto vintage clothing and furniture to give these items a new life—quickly drew a great deal of attention.

From the Tolight x Journal Standard pop up (Sales ended)

Here’s a one-of-a-kind used jacket with plants painted directly onto it in acrylic. The delicate yet vibrant botanical artwork adds a wonderful sense of depth to the chic, dark-toned jacket.





They also work on an art initiative called the RE BLOOMING PROJECT, painting on unused buildings to create spaces that bring people together.

Tolight treats all kinds of surfaces as canvases, breathing new life into them through paint. But why did they start painting plants in the first place?
Aoyama explains: “The beginning was during the stay-at-home period of the pandemic. I felt very low at the time, and wanting to feel even a little brightness or hope, I drew a flower on a wine glass I was about to throw away and displayed it. Flowers are a universal, timeless motif that anyone—regardless of age, gender, or country—can feel close to. I’m drawn to the way they seem to hold the warmth of sunlight within them.”

Capturing the vivid colors and brushstrokes of acrylic painting in a techo cover.

Annen, who oversaw this collaboration on the Hobonichi Techo team, was deeply inspired by Tolight’s work and proposed the project. She experimented with many approaches to preserve the vivid colors and expressive brushstrokes of Aoyama’s original artwork.



She explained, “For the cover made with Gentle Plaid fabric, we used transfer printing to recreate the glossy texture of the artwork.”



“I tried combining the fabric and illustration data, testing prints that blended more with the material, and many other methods. After a lot of trial and error, we arrived at a glossy printing method that really brings out the texture of the flowers.”



“When the sample print arrived, I adjusted the colors, shading, highlights—many details—to bring it closer to the original artwork. In the end, I think we were able to create a cover that really preserves the lively touch of the piece,” said Annen.



For the Weeks, we printed the flowers using glossy silk screening over a matte-textured cover. Can you see the sheen of the petals and leaves?

The entire front cover boldly features the floral artwork, with no “2026” printed on it. According to Annen, the aim was a simple design that “lets you feel as though you’re carrying the flowers themselves with you.”



On the spine, the message “2026 YEAR OF BLOOM” shines subtly—chosen with the wish for a bright, blossoming year.

Tolight’s techo brings a sense of brightness to your daily life and your time spent with your notebook. It’s a wonderful companion for welcoming a new year.

You can see the Tolight lineup on the store here.

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