Hobonichi is Ruining My Year
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- Hobonichi can no longer be trusted! I share two examples of the poor quality of paper Hobonichi is using in 2025. Feathering, spread, bleed-through. As a result, I will no longer be using Hobonichi products. Instead, I will be using the Midori MD Notebook for my daily writings. What has your experience with the Hobonichi 2025 products been? Drop a comment below to let me know.
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The inconsistent quality of Sanzen Tomoe River paper is why I decided not to get a Hobochi Cousin for 2025, and bought a Midori A5 1 Day 1 Page Dairy instead. Yes, the MD paper is heavier weight and cream colored, and the MD Diary is much thicker, but MD paper is extremely consistent performing.
You are absolutely right! That's exactly why I decided to switch, too. Thank you so much for watching.
I believe the fault lies with the Sanzen Tomoe River Paper. It seems like some batches were horrible and others good even though the formula changed. Hobonichi seems to be trying to rectify the situation in some ways. I wouldn’t count them out totally since the quality testing may not have picked up the problem depending on the ratio of good to bad batches. I hope Sanzen corrects the issue with their manufacturing. I use Hobonichi mostly because I like the paper.
I used to adore their paper. I’ll horde the good stuff still in my stash. But I’ve been forced to switch the Midori and I’m LOVING it so far. I’m sure I’ll do a flip-through of my MD Notebook at some point. Thank you for watching!
I got a tall skinny two page per day dated Hobonichi planner and the paper does ghost and bleed with some inks. I also got a standard non-dated A5 Hobonichi journal and the paper does NOT bleed or ghost. I agree that the paper is not consistent throughout their line.
It’s unfortunate. I used to love their paper so much! Thank you for watching.
Hobonichi changed their paper for 2025. I bought Kinbor planners for 2025 precisely for this reason. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality. They’re pretty good. If you can get hold of a Hobonichi 2024 start 5 year diary it will have the old 52gsm Sanzen TR paper. I bought the 2024 so that I could get the old paper and at half the price. Unfortunately, it looks like Hobonichi is no longer the quality product it used to be.
That’s a great idea. I may try that. I’ll also have to look into Kinbor. I’m not familiar with that brand. Thank you so much for the suggestions and watching!
Perhaps consider Sterling Ink for a half year reset- they have a 2-book option. I started their 5 year along with separate work and EDC planners, no bleed through even with my OBB stub & Twsbi stub etc. Sorry about your experience with Hobo :(
Thanks for the tip! I'll check it out. I hear good things about them.
My 2025 cousin A5 is not being used because the bleed through was horrible. I won’t be using Hobonichi going forward. Unfortunate! Good you did this video to warn folks.
If you're looking for more of a journal rather than a planner, I highly recommend the Midori MD Notebooks. That's what I switched to, and I am LOVING it! Thanks for watching.
I started in the Hobonichi weeks and the test I did in the back of the book was ok on the weeks mega and terrible on the cousin a5 but then I did a review on colorverse super giant and it was fine on day 1 so I dunno didnt have any bleedthrough we will see what happens today with day 2 if it doesnt perform up to my expectations by the end of the week when its time to do a bujo setup video I'm going back to Archer and Olive notebooks
Yeah, I think the Cousin A5 is one of those affected most. The 5-Year is the worst offender. I’m doing BuJo for the first time this year, but using the Franklin-Christoph Vagabond for that. I’ll have to check out your BuJo setup video!
@pensane yeah if the hobonichi doesn't hold up I'm switching to an archer and olive 160gsm notebook cause I can't stand bleeding and ghosting so bad I can read it directly through the paper and sometimes I just want to search and play and if I can't do that I'm gonna move into a modular 3 ring binder cause I think it's more about what works and then I can paste in all kinds of pictures and tickets and write with all of my pens instead of just one or two fountain pens and only pilot frixion markers so we will see I might have to back fill we will see
Did you reach out to them? They have been sending new books to quite a few people.
I started to reach out to them using a form they have for claiming a defective journal, but I wouldn’t get the replacement for a couple weeks into the new year. With a touch of OCD, I couldn’t possibly start a new journal after the first. Fortunately, a Midori I already had on hand is going to work beautifully. And I am returning the Hobonichi through Amazon. Thanks for watching. It’s so good to hear from you!
@@pensane I have seen lots of response from them to folks who complained. Check in the Hobonichi subreddit.
I'll have to check that out! Thanks.
Hello. Had the same issue with 5-year. They sent a new one, just arrived December 30th. The new one has no issue at all.
I just found out too late. I would have received the replacement well into January. I returned it through Amazon. Maybe I'll try Hobonichi again next year, but I am LOVING my Midori MD Notebooks. Thank you for watching!
My Japanese A6 has been fine. Seems the same as the 2024, but I only have a single fountain pen with a single ink, so maybe other inks would fair differently.
You're a rarity in the fountain pen community! Most of us are hoarders. I really, really enjoyed the English A6 a couple years ago. That and the Weeks Mega were my introduction to Hobonichi. Thanks for watching!
@pensane Oh, I'm pretty sure I'm going down the hoarder path. It's my first fountain pen, and I've only had it for the weeks. 😂
This is disappointing news! I have just a notebook not a planner that I haven’t tried yet. Now I don’t want too! I have found the endless products to be good for me and I’m using their planner this year.
I’ve heard good things about them. Let me know how it goes. Thanks for watching!
It’s not bad luck Hononichi is apparently known specifically for having very thin paper. Ink smearing and ghosting is known issue. I also find this odd given people often use fountain pens. I was going to get one and after my research will not be getting these.
I highly recommend the Midori MD Notebooks. I'm having great fun in mine. Thanks for watching!
Well, thats no good since they are not cheap.
Have you tried the "Designworks ink Standard issue Notebook N3?
I wondered about those. I’ll look into it. Thank you!
I bought the Hobonichi Cousin and had to give it away to a friend who doesn't use fountain pens. I'm going with Midori's one day one page instead. It's a B6 instead of my beloved A5, but it's definitely a better option. You're not having bad luck - it's the fault of the company.
I'll be sharing my Midori MD Notebook A5 in a video soon. I have just enough room for two days on each page. Stay tuned! Thank you for watching.
Oof. That stinks. Sorry, friend. Thanks for the heads up.
I copied my entries over to a Midori MD Notebook A5, and so far, so good. Things are looking up already!
I hate that the quality is so bad! Thanks for sharing. Sorry 😞
Thank you! I switched to the Midori MD Notebook A5 and I’m loving it so far. I just wish the paper was white.
So they will replace it but you can’t or won’t. And you can’t use a different pen? First world problems. Clearly they know about it and are willing to try to help.
The whole point is to use my fountain pens. By the time I would have received a replacement, the month would have been half over. I guess I’m a little OCD. I’ll give them a shot again next year, but this year it’s just too late. Yep, this hobby is filled with first world problems. But when you pay $40, $50, $60 for something, you expect it to work as expected. Thanks for watching!
Also btw im using mine and is all ok. Don’t do this. They are good books.
I hope they will be again. But mine were not this year.
So you don’t know about the paper changed because the og producer of the tomboe paper retired the machine they did it on. They are not over rated, they are adapting to the new machine and that changes a lot of things.
I know about that, but I have been using Hobonichi the past two years with no complaints. When two completely different products have issues, then there's a real problem. For what they charge, they need to do more extensive testing from every batch. I hope Hobonichi gets things worked out as they were my favorite. Maybe I'll try them again for next year. But I am now enjoying my Midori MD Notebooks with no issues. Thanks for watching!
Hobonichi is over, over rated
I think you’re right. It’s a bit of a cult. It was fun being part of the cult for a while, but I’m on to better things now. Thanks for watching!
The Sanzen TRP has become horribly inconsistent and is showing up in other planners, including those from small independent planner companies, including the one I bought mine from (so far so good on mine…but apparently it can be random bad pages.) I won’t use Hobonichi products at all because of the horrible way that they have handled the paper situation saying “it falls within our standards and we don’t see problems with it.” Basically, gaslighting and blaming the consumer for a faulty product. While they FINALLY admitted there was a problem with the 5 years and replaced them, they are not admitting it for the rest of their line of products…all of which are having problems, particularly the Weeks (probably their most popular) and the Cousin. I had the Cousin last year and didn’t like the layout of the quote, the color changes, and the visual busyness of the pages, so switched to Sterling Ink (also uses TRP, but it’s 52gsm…note: Hobonichi switched to 47gsm.) I did pen tests on both my Sterling Inks A5 and A6, and have had no problems. Some people have had bad pages randomly. Other small planner companies like Sterling Ink (Twine and Paper is one, Just Scribble, I think also) are having problems with the TRP. I hope those companies are looking to find alternative paper for 2026, because I don’t think Sanzen TRP is able to have good quality control…and you’re right! These are expensive products that are advertised specifically as being fountain pen friendly and the most beautiful and perfect paper for so many products. I don’t blame the small planner companies and I hope this doesn’t hurt their business. Many of them are working with their customers wonderfully (others not from what I hear.) I’ve always had great customer service from Sterling Ink, so I’m not too worried if a problem comes up. However, I have gone on my own paper search for alternatives that I can test out and use for other things. There are actually many good (and great!) alternative papers available to use, not all expensive…some downright dirt cheap. I’m sorry the Day Free and 5 year are a fail for you. Midori makes a lovely 3, 5 and 10 year diary. I also like their paper, but would prefer white paper over cream for the majority of my notebooks. Look around, there are other planner companies not using TRP but with setups you might like out there. (Actually, I’ve seen a few channels that have switched to the Kinbor - a Chinese Hobonichi clone with good paper available on Ali Express, because they wouldn’t/couldn’t make another large investment for 2025, so got that as a substitute for the year and most are happy with it. Hopefully other paper companies that make great fountain pen paper use this as a way to increase their market share by creating paper for other planner companies, particularly the small independents, that are reliable and usable. I’m so sorry for this, and hopefully you can get a return on the Day Free also…I mean, it’s defective. Worth a shot, I guess. Adios, Hobonichi for poor customer service, and adios Sanzen TRP for an inconsistent, and not that great product when it’s working, imo.
Thank you for this wonderful comment and all the helpful recommendations! I really appreciate it. Fortunately, I am super happy with my setup now using the Midori MD Notebook. Next year, I’ll start their 5-year diary. Thanks for watching.