Welcome to Almost Every Month — ほぼ毎月のポッドキャスト (Hobo maitsuki no poddokyasuto) — A podcast about all things ephemera — journals, planners, pens, paper, ink and more. In this first series I delve deeply into the wildly popular Hobonichi planners and all the culture that surrounds them — from the storied history of its founder Shigesato Itoi to the cottage industries and influencers that have sprung up around it.
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Episode 8: Hobonichi Tomoe River Paper Filed
This one will really appeal to the fountain pen lover among us!
Welcome to episode 8 of Almost Every Month Podcast
We discuss paper tasting, the culture of paper reverence, handwriting systems, stationery privilege, and of course the history of ongoing and upcoming changes in Tomoe River paper–all thanks to Alesa Mc Neill, aka @inkyrocks. Alesa’s deep interest in and understanding of the pen world led her to the paper world, and she breaks it down for us. What a gracious guest she was–and so knowledgeable!
Welcome to Almost Every Month–(Hobo maitsuki no poddokyasuto)–A podcast about all things ephemera—journals, planners, pens, paper, ink and more. In this first series, I delve deeply into the wildly popular Hobonichi planners and all the culture that surrounds them—from the storied history of its founder Shigesato Itoi to the cottage industries and influencers that have sprung up around it. Special guests from the planner, pen and journal world will make appearances in each episode. The name Almost Every Month was chosen as a play on the meaning of Hobonichi (the ‘almost every day’ blog)
Tune in almost every month for the next Almost Every Month Podcast, and please consider supporting this podcast if you love it by becoming a Patreon member-which is also where the extensive show notes live. Patreon members who join this month will get a set of bookplates for their current and future planners!
Resources mentioned in podcast:
Follow Inky Rocks on YouTube for excellent content about fountain pens and all of the accoutrements that surround them.
The new owners of Tomoe River paper are Sanzen.
Want to dig in more to the topic of Tomoe River paper AN check out some great blogs?
Pen Noob has covered the Tomoe River paper changes quite a bit: https://pennoob.com/2021/10/28/tomoegawa-stops-making-tomoe-river-paper/
Here is a Fudefan article about the topic, and an article from Well-Appointed Desk here.
Plan with Me & Preview Party Breakdown for Hobonichi Line Up 2023
In this extra long, extra juicy episode (ep 7) of Almost Every Month Podcast, we have two special guests who I like to think of as the world’s most informed Hobonichi fans! Szilas (US) and Morgane (France)and I kick off the 7th episode talking about the wider Plan With Me culture but pretty soon we delve into the topic we could have easily spent hours on—the Hobonichi 2023 Preview Party! Scrolling through the webpage, we break down each tidbit, talking about the merits of the covers, the Easter eggs hidden in the posts, and what we are most excited for in the Hobonichi 2023 release. This episode drops just 3 days before the Hobonichi website is open for business with their new lineup (Sept 1st), so its the episode to listen to and the guide to get informed (and to help you make those tough budgetary decisions). Many thanks to our mutual Reddit group r/Hobonichi for bringing so much combined knowledge about Hobonichi, as well as bringing my entertaining guests!
Welcome to Almost Every Month–(Hobo maitsuki no poddokyasuto)–A podcast about all things ephemera—journals, planners, pens, paper, ink and more. In this first series, I delve deeply into the wildly popular Hobonichi planners and all the culture that surrounds them—from the storied history of its founder Shigesato Itoi to the cottage industries and influencers that have sprung up around it. Special guests from the planner, pen and journal world will make appearances in each episode. The name Almost Every Month was chosen as a play on the meaning of Hobonichi (the ‘almost every day’ blog)
Tune in almost every month for the next Almost Every Month Podcast, and please consider supporting this podcast if you love it by becoming a Patreon member-which is also where the extensive show notes live. Patreon members who join this month will get a set of bookplates for their current and future planners!
New Way To Time Travel–The Flip Through
In episode 6 of Almost Every Month Podcast, our guest is Yena from Moonlit Planning. Yena and I discuss the culture around the phenomenon of flip throughs. It is Flip through season! Tune in to any planner or Bujoer’s IG or YouTube page, and you will see pages fluttering like leaves on a fall day. Why do people enjoy making and consuming the endless footage of other people’s planner designs? We talk about the history of record keeping, diaries and journals, from the pragmatic to the therapeutic uses of each method. ASMR folks, do you like podcast background bird noises? Then, bonus alert nature sounds!
Welcome to Almost Every Month–(Hobo maitsuki no poddokyasuto)–A podcast about all things ephemera—journals, planners, pens, paper, ink and more. In this first series, I delve deeply into the wildly popular Hobonichi planners and all the culture that surrounds them—from the storied history of its founder Shigesato Itoi to the cottage industries and influencers that have sprung up around it. Special guests from the planner, pen and journal world will make appearances in each episode. The name Almost Every Month was chosen as a play on the meaning of Hobonichi (the ‘almost every day’ blog)
Tune in almost every month for the next Almost Every Month Podcast, and please consider supporting this podcast if you love it by becoming a Patreon member-which is also where the extensive show notes live. Patreon members who join this month will get a set of bookplates for their current and future planners!
True Fans–What Does It Take to Be One?
With the release of episode 5, I have been thinking a lot about how subversive it is to be a fan of something creative, like a book series, a band, a film. But also how it is the same for being a fan of a planner or a sticker designer or someone who sells t-shirts they design on Etsy. Because you are supporting a small enterprise, something that makes your life richer, without (hopefully) directly supporting mass capitalism (in that instance). By buying stickers and a planner cover from small businesses, I am directly helping someone. This is important to me because it is a rare instance of knowing exactly what impact your dollar is having one someone’s livelihood. I hope you enjoy this episode of AEM, and I hope you see yourself reflected in the community around it as a maker or a fan or most likely as both, and if you don’t I hope you will reach out to me and let me know how and why you want to see yourself reflected there. As a podcast maker, I can help with that!
In episode 5 of Almost Every Month Podcast, our guest is Margo Porras and our topic is fandom and what it means to be part of a community with the same deep passions. We even delve into the psychology research around fandom–its all good news too. Margo is a fellow podcaster, as well as a fellow Hobonichi fan. She is also a writer and designer. She’s contributed to numerous media outlets including San Diego Magazine, Mamiverse and SheKnows. Her book is called, “Growing Up in La Colonia.”
Welcome to Almost Every Month–(Hobo maitsuki no poddokyasuto)–A podcast about all things ephemera—journals, planners, pens, paper, ink and more. In this first series, I delve deeply into the wildly popular Hobonichi planners and all the culture that surrounds them—from the storied history of its founder Shigesato Itoi to the cottage industries and influencers that have sprung up around it. Special guests from the planner, pen and journal world will make appearances in each episode. The name Almost Every Month was chosen as a play on the meaning of Hobonichi (the ‘almost every day’ blog)
Patreon members who join this month will get a set of bookplates for their current and future planners!
Visit the Patreon page for show notes and links:)
Organize Your Life
In Episode 4 of Almost Every Month Podcast, our guest is Yena from Moonlit Planning (@moonlitplanning). Yena talks about the perfect layout and discusses with me all of her tools and tricks for organizing her life with her planner. I spend some time outlining the pros and cons of digital versus paper planning, and provide my best advice to newbies just entering the realm of planning. Plus, I Google the difference between a journal and a diary, and give you a special Hobonichi entry translation just for 4/20 day! If your life could use a bit of organization, I provide some of the inspiration you will need to get started and keep going in this episode!
In his Whiskered Scribe segment, Mike Quest (IG: mikequestst) faces another side to the conundrum of using paper–that planning perfectionism that prevents us from starting to use a new journal or planner because it is too precious and we don’t want to wreck it!
Welcome to Almost Every Month–(Hobo maitsuki no poddokyasuto)–A podcast about all things ephemera—journals, planners, pens, paper, ink and more. In this first series, I delve deeply into the wildly popular Hobonichi planners and all the culture that surrounds them—from the storied history of its founder Shigesato Itoi to the cottage industries and influencers that have sprung up around it. Special guests from the planner, pen and journal world will make appearances in each episode. The name Almost Every Month was chosen as a play on the meaning of Hobonichi (the ‘almost every day’ blog)
Patreon members will have access to show notes, resources and other bonus content!
Embracing the Cottage Industry Planner World
In Episode 3 of Almost Every Month Podcast, we have two guests! First, Jackie of Quoth the Crow talks about how to use planners for study, and how to become an influencer in the planner community. She also shares her favorite cottage industry products and the secret on why we all adore the mom and pop shops. The second guest, Sheena from Stickies by C&S, is one third of a sister trio that makes planners and stickers for the planning world. Sheena discusses how she got involved in the family business and her business strategy for the future of her sticker biz.
In his Whiskered Scribe segment, Mike Quest (IG: mikequestst) muses on the maker life after speaking to notebook maker Cory Myers @HeadboneCo about the inspiration behind his notebook design.
Welcome to Almost Every Month–(Hobo maitsuki no poddokyasuto)–A podcast about all things ephemera—journals, planners, pens, paper, ink and more. In this first series, I delve deeply into the wildly popular Hobonichi planners and all the culture that surrounds them—from the storied history of its founder Shigesato Itoi to the cottage industries and influencers that have sprung up around it. Special guests from the planner, pen and journal world will make appearances in each episode. The name Almost Every Month was chosen as a play on the meaning of Hobonichi (the ‘almost every day’ blog)
Next episode: The world of cottage industry planning!
Tune in almost every month for the next Almost Every Month Podcast, and please consider supporting this podcast if you love it by becoming a Patreon member. Stickers and shoutouts and more await our members!
Images: Photos 1-3 Cory Myers @HeadboneCo’s cicada notebook as mentioned by Mike Quest
Image 4, Sheena and her sisters of Stickies by C & S
Image 5-7 Jackie from Quoth the Crows Hobonichi faves, plus, as promised, her Twitter feature on the Hobonichi Twitter page from her visit to the store in Japan.
Episode 2, Founder’s Fix-The History of Hobonichi
In Episode 2 of Almost Every Month Podcast (release date 2/28/22 4am CST), I explore my skepticism about the sincere mixing of capitalism and art (through an imaginary interview with the founder of Hobonichi Shigesato Itoi), while also exploring his rich creative life and the mix of ingredients that makes Hobonichi techos useful, simple and beautiful. Also, we launch a new segment with Mike Quest (IG: mikequestst)where he delves in to the world of fountain pens! See the AEM Patreon page for free show notes of all of this episodes research resources!
Welcome to Almost Every Month–(Hobo maitsuki no poddokyasuto)–A podcast about all things ephemera—journals, planners, pens, paper, ink and more. In this first series, I delve deeply into the wildly popular Hobonichi planners and all the culture that surrounds them—from the storied history of its founder Shigesato Itoi to the cottage industries and influencers that have sprung up around it. Special guests from the planner, pen and journal world will make appearances in each episode. The name Almost Every Month was chosen as a play on the meaning of Hobonichi (the ‘almost every day’ blog)
An exciting giveaway announcement is up on our Instagram page! Visit Almost Every Month Podcast for details to enter.
Next episode: The world of cottage industry planning!
Show notes:
The podcast theme music is by Ken Bradley and the logo is by Avienna Vess. Check out their beautiful mushroom often based designs at aviespore on IG.
Resources for this episode:
Info about Hobonichi stocks
Mother 3 interview with story about trauma
Link between Animal Crossing and Mother
Shigesato Itoi wikipedia page
Itoi’s Pilgrimage of Gratitude visiting all of the facilities that manufacture and design Hobonichi
A timeline of Honbonichi history:
A 2020 interview with Itoi
Article about Japanese baby boomers
An article about the book Let’s Meet in a Dream co-written by Murakami and Itoi–with lots of juicy details.
The post on 1011 where Itoi talks about using a capless fountain pen and also gently plugs planner lifestyle
Shigesato Itoi’s album Penguinism
My band Clamor & Lace Noise Brigade.
Episode 1 Do You Hobonichi? Let’s Explore the Well Loved Hobonichi Planner
In episode 1, host Kimzyn Campbell (they/them) delves into planner culture, defining the Hobonichi Techo and the planner enthusiast’s activities as special interest rather than an ‘obsession’. They unearth terrible but not surprising facts–like how racism is part of the early journaling process for colonizers. They interview guest Helen Wang (prolific journaler/planner/sticker maker) of CoffeeMonsterzCo. Helen has so much to say about how Hobonichi planners help her stay on track while she juggles her business, full-time college schedule and her creative pursuits! This episode’s sponsor is Midwest Ephemera, makers of fine letterpress products. Theme music by Kenward Bradley.