The Midori Traveler’s Notebook and System: An Introduction
This is my review and overview of the basic, official, Midori Traveler's Notebook. It wasn't that long ago that I didn't even know what a Midori was so I thought that's where I'd start.
This is a look at the Official Midori Traveler’s Notebook and some accessories. It’s part review and part overview. The system is similar to the Hobonichi Techo in that the blank slate you start with is meant to evolve into something more. It has a full fledged online community and a world-wide following. Just looking a few years back these products were almost impossible to find in the western market and the US specifically but thanks to a few key retailers you can now easily get them online. There are many knock-offs and knock-off inserts and most people use some aspect of those in some way even in the official notebooks but that’s another post for another day. I’ll briefly talk about specific refills but I’ll save the details on those for individual reviews coming up.
According to Midori’s website the company has been around since 1950 and “creates paper products, including letters, greetings cards, colored papers and stickers, and creative design stationery with sophisticated designs.”
The Notebook itself is actually more than that. It’s a leather cover with strategically placed elastic bands going through the leather via holes and notches and a notebook, generally called refills in the Midori world. There are two sizes of Traveler’s Notebooks, the passport size and the regular size, which is the one I have. The covers are available in several several colors including black and the brown I have. When you buy only the ‘notebook’ you get the cover and one blank paper insert. One thing different from the original setup to the one I have pictured is the elastic closure. It comes with a matching brown but I swapped it to orange which is included in a small zip bag as well.
If you lay the cover open with no refills in it you will see a hole in the middle of the right half with an elastic strap knot coming through. This is the band that wraps around the notebook to keep it closed. Vertically at the center you will see two elastic straps, one going the full length to the top and one slightly shorter coming through holes just in from the edge. You will also see a thin, non-elastic string with a small knot near the end used for a bookmark.
If you close the notebook on the outside you’ll have an elastic loop sticking out of the back to use to wrap abound the horizontal center to keep the notebook closed. On the spine there is a slit at the top and bottom and a small hole just in from both slits and at the top and bottom there is a small bit of the elastic from the inside looping between the slit and hole. At the top there is a small metal disc that has those elastic bands and the bookmark inserted into it to secure the ends.
http://penpaperinkletter.com/wp-cont...otebook-12.jpg
Now to talk about refills it gets complicated. It’s not hard to deal with and many people have found a way to make loads of assorted refills fit in various ways but that’s some of the point. There are many ways people use these and insert refills. I will describe two ways, the one it comes with and the one I added using the official Midori instructions and add on bands. Also, to clarify again, refills are simply the paper notebooks that you put into the cover to write in. They come in lined, grid, blank and a few planner options. These refills also come in regular paper (64 pages) and light paper (128 pages). In the Midori setup I actually like having a variety as I prefer a three notebook setup.
The setup when you get the notebook at first is a single blank notebook that is held in the cover by the long internal elastic band going down the inside center spine of the refill. This is the simplest setup you can have. It’s also one that most people will likely outgrow. The leather doesn’t dwarf the single notebook but it is easily made to wrap around more.
I also have the “Connecting Rubber Bands” which allow you to easily add additional refills. On the back of the package they show the best way to install additional notebooks. I also got the Blank #13 refill and another notebook from Banditapple which is the only other company that seems to sell refills in the exact same size for the standard size Midori that you don’t have to trim. Banditapple is also sold at the Goulet Pen Company so you can pick them up at the same time to save on shipping. The paper is different, and in some ways better for fountain pens, so the lined refill I have for my Midori came from them. I also had a “Pocket Book” sized version from Banditapple which fits perfectly using the smaller loop of elastic on the inside. Because I had already started that notebook I chose to use it but in the future I’ll likely move all notebook refills to the full size. So, using the connecting rubber bands you connect two notebooks together down the center of the spine. With the one notebook already in the cover using the elastic band you slide one of the two notebooks connected together with the connecting bands under the notebook already installed so that it comes out on the other side. You then have three notebooks securely installed in your Midori!
I’ll have separate posts and reviews for the individual notebook refills and the pen loop accessory. There are also several other Midori branded accessories such as adhesive sticker pockets to hold papers on the inside of the covers, a few inserts for holding business cards and a pouch for writing instruments as well a handful of clips and charms to accessorize your Midori as well.
Thanks for reading and hopefully you know have a basic understanding of the Midori Traveler’s Notebook and setup. Keep an eye out for additional posts on the Midori system coming soon!
Want to get started in the Midori Traveler’s Notebook world? Check out all the offerings from The Goulet Pen Company.
If you buy the regular size starter pack, $57.40 from Goulet, here are the details on it:
Package contents
Cotton Bag / H240 x W150mm
Leather Cover / H218 x W130 x D10mm
Blank notebook (64 pages) / H210 x W110mm
Spare Rubber Band / Red (13714006 Black), Orange (13715006 Brown)
-Heath
@WeThePPIL
To see this with all the images and some more links to additional resources click here.
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Originally Posted by Mags
(also very happy to live in Japan so I don't have to pay horrendous prices for the refills, although they seem to have gotten more expensive here over the past month - still trying to figure that out)
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