Six Months in the Hobonichi 5-Year
The Hobonichi 5-year journal was on my “someday” list for the past few years. I always enjoyed seeing people add to their notebooks over time. It always looked like it would be so satisfying to flip through it after five years and see what changed over time or revisit moments that happened. One of my favorite examples of the journal was from James Luke Burke who is a mixed-media artist. Every time he shared his journal on Instagram I was in awe. I’d see others doing creative things in their 5-year journals, and I was finally inspired to go for it this year.
The Hobonichi 5-year journal is designed with a two page spread for each day. There are five years one one side and then a blank page on the other side. It has grid rule across both pages. I have the 2024-2028 version which was made with the sanzen tomoe river paper. It feels really substantial in hand. It also has a plastic cover that looks like leather. I didn’t pick one up, but there are covers for the 5-year journal just like the yearly ones.
I picked my journal up from Atlas Stationers and set it aside until January 1st when I cracked it open. I had grand plans to write in it everyday with both an account of the day and also observations of the nature around my house.
That worked for a little while.
I learned really quickly that writing in the notebook every day was not going to happen. I attempted to make it a habit, but it wasn’t really sparking any enjoyment. It was making writing in the notebook feel like a chore, and I do not need another chore in my life. The first thing that went was the nature observations by mid-February. I had also fallen behind on writing every day.
I sat down and tried to decide what I really wanted out of 5-year journalling. Was I wanting to track something? Did I want to record events in the world? What was I actually wanting to be able to observe in myself over the course of this journal? I was pretty frustrated with what felt like rehashing my logging that I do in my regular planner.
It was March 3rd, that I decided that I was going to throw my framework out the window and start again with a new goal. I wrote: Decided to throw out structure to what I write. This book is for me, not posterity… These entries are me in a snapshot and what stood out to me that day.
That choice was freeing and completely changed my relationship with this chunky A6 book.
I’m keeping things pretty simple and just using writing - that may change in the future, but so far I’ve just been interested to write things down.
One thing I did keep going was writing down the day of the week, the daily temperature highs and lows, the weather, and what ink I used (because I’m an ink nerd and I know my future self will ask that question). Beyond that, I could write whatever stuck out to me about my day. I had an intention that would become a daily thing, but I later allowed myself to add the five-year journal into my weekly reflections. Basically, I wait until the end of the week and then use the logging from my planner to spark memories of that day and record what I’m thinking.
I try to keep the entries short and in their box, but if it spills over onto the overflow page on the right… no big deal. I finish my thought. That might mean I run out of space by 2028… but I can always slip in a piece of onion skin or airmail paper into the book to finish my thought (at least that’s the plan).
I’m really interested to see what becomes of my 5-year journal (and by extension myself) by 2028.
If you have used a multi-year journal? How are you utilizing it?
I love it when notebooks start to fluff up. I wish I could find an old blog post of Field Notes where they weighed a filled notebook at the end to get the “weight of words”.
Currently Inked
Laban Athena Grey - Kaweco Art Sport Tiger’s Eye 14K B - I refilled my pen with this ink about halfway through the week. I was just drawn to this combo over the weekend and in the first few days of the work week. This is such a pretty dark gray.
Nonble Ragdoll - Kaweco Art Sport Terrazzo B ‘imperial’ - This ink is strange and I can’t tell if I like it or not. It must be a pigment ink because it gets dry in the nib and then will come out really dark and then settle back into the normal writing experience. It shades really well and has a smoky blue tone. I just can’t wrap around this ink - will definitely have to get a another try at a later date. (If anyone is familiar with Nonble - I’d love to know more about it).
Diamine Buck’s Fizz - Kaweco liliput fireblue 14K M ‘journaler’ - I’m a little bit in love with this soft orange sparkle ink. I’ve decided it looks like an orange creamsicle. It’s kind of funny that it was an Inkvent color, because it’s very summery. Enjoying writing with this in my journal this week.
Ferris Wheel Press Queen Allium - Kaweco liliput copper M stub - Still working on the refill from last week. This pen didn’t get a lot of love this week because I kept reaching for my Art Sports, but this purple still makes me smile when I finally break it out.