This year’s Hobonichi Techo Official Guidebook is ready to go, and like always it includes all kinds of usage examples and fun information about the techo. It’s packed with charm thanks to all the unique techos our users have created.

• Daisuke Soushiki's animal illustrations are on the cover and intro page—and on stickers, too!
  

This year’s cover shows a bear happily writing in a Hobonichi Techo drawn by illustrator Daisuke Soushiki, who contributed a lot of art in the guidebook. His drawings on the intro page tell a short story about a bear who wants to remember all the things that happen each day. This year’s special bonus is a “12 Months of Animals” sticker sheet that contains an animal illustration for each month. The stickers could really liven up your Hobonichi Techo monthly calendars or the initial page at the start of each month for the daily page section.

• Articles about why we love writing by hand: “Handwriting really is great, isn’t it?”
  

This year, we’ve written articles taking a fresh look at the appeal of the core focus of the Hobonichi Techo: writing by hand. When you write something by hand, you’re the only person who could ever express it exactly that way. Whether it’s a drawing or writing, it’s suffused with the emotions of the moment you created it. It takes time and energy, but handwriting really is great, isn’t it? We found people who center their lives on writing and asked them what makes handwriting so nice.



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“Handwriting is a person’s mirror” - Shigesato Itoi, Director of Hobonichi

“Handwriting is comfort” - Shinsuke Yoshitake, children’s book illustrator

“Handwriting is quick” - Kei Suzuki, essayist and cook

“Handwriting is romantic” - Koki Kawashima, modern literature researcher

“Handwriting is mind travel” - Yuji Ikegaya, neuroscience researcher

“Handwriting is excitement” - Ichika, lettering artist

We’ll also show you the original art used for the Cat Over Kanda cover by Taiyo Matsumoto!

• Lots of usage examples!

There are as many ways to use the Hobonichi Techo as there are people using it. Some simply write words, some make lines, some draw pictures, some paste in paper, and some use stamps. We asked 20 groups of people how they use the Hobonichi Techo and featured them in this year’s guidebook.


Shortly before leaving to study abroad in Canada, Comedian Yasuko Mitsuura showed us the Hobonichi Techo she used as an English study notebook. Idol Nagi Nemoto’s techo helps her manage her work, and “fightology doctor” Katsuya Futaesaku keeps a Future Book. There are many interviews and photos in the guidebook that show how you can really see a person’s face when you’re paging through the techo created by their hands.

• What should I pick for my Hobonichi Techo 2022? There are lots of catalog pages to browse.
  

We’ve also included a carefully planned guide explaining how to choose a Hobonichi Techo. It includes the full Hobonichi Techo 2022 lineup, with detailed text and pictures, including the types of books and their characteristics. One of the funnest parts of the Hobonichi Techo is trying to imagine your year ahead and which design and style of cover you’ll use. Let’s make 2022 our best year yet.

• Lots of features that make life with a Hobonichi Techo more fun!

We’re back with lots of articles that make life with a Hobonichi Techo more fun. The “Life Book Library” introduces everyone’s Hobonichi Techos as though they’re a library collection. The “Recommendations from the Hobonichi Stationery Dept” article has Hobonichi employees introducing their favorite items to use with their techos. The “Kanda Jinbocho Techo Walk” features a tour around Kanda with photographer Katsuo Nishina to visit the places the Kanda series techo covers were based on. “Lighthearted and Fun! Everyone’s Hobonichi 5-Year Techo” introduces people who are in their fourth year of using the Hobonichi 5-Year Techo after using it in its debut year and includes their hints to making the most of your own 5-Year Techo. There’s also an article where a monk teaches us how to avoid becoming a quitter, and many other interesting reads related to the Hobonichi Techo.



For special days, and nothing special days. Spend 2022 with your techo and fill your year with color by hand.