Traveler's notebook and Midori Paper

[7188photo]

Hello there, my first post here. Great forum!

Anyway, just wanted to share my favorite notebook/paper combination, and that must be the Traveler's notebook and the refills from Midori. Here's a link to the website http://www.midori-japan.co.jp/tr/eng...book/products/ (and no, I don't work for them nor do I have anything else to do with them, just really love it!)

Does anyone else have experiences with them? Midori paper in general is like the best I've ever written on. Even if you apply a lake of ink on it, it won't blot through. The color is amazing, too, and it doesn't have offensively contrasty lines/squares like Rhodia notebooks.

Well, since there's no way I can try all the papers out there, if you have experiences with Midori, I'd be happy to hear them

have a great weekend!
Holger

[AtomicLeo]

The stitched A5 notebook is my favorite notebook. Great paper. IIRC, there was a place in the UK that would send paper samples. The Writing Desk, I think? That was where I had my first experience with Midori paper. I wish Goulet Pens or isellpens would offer this same service. It was great to try out all these papers before buying. I live New Mexico (USA) and it took about 3 weeks to receive the samples.

[7188photo]

Thanks! Yes, paper samples sounds like an awesome thing. For my photography fine art prints I usually can get a sampler with different papers to print on easily, wonder why it's so hard to find samples for writing paper/notebook paper.
It seems that in almost all of the videos on Youtube that show fountain pen reviews people use a Rhodia pad for demonstration - is there any particular reason for that? Not such a big fan of Rhodia myself, to be honest.

[Carole]

Paper samples--I think our friend Dave at Nanami Paper still offers samples. He has the wonderful Life paper among others. He's in SoCal, so doesn't take too long for deliveries to reach Area 51.

[7188photo]

Carole: So, the Life paper is your favorite paper to write on?

[Carole]

Carole: So, the Life paper is your favorite paper to write on?

Hi 7188photo,

I don't know if I can select just one favorite! At one point I received a sample package from Dave and every paper was excellent. I believe it included Life Bank, Life Noble, Tomoe River, his stationery set, and Midori. (No affiliation with Dave or his shop, but he's a great guy & all my experiences w/Nanami Paper have been wonderful.)

For writing letters, the Tomoe River paper is perfect when I want to write a lot. But I also really like the Life Writing Tablet and the Bank paper, just for variety. Those papers have so far been great with most inks, not feathering, and they aren't as glassy as the Rhodia which means the pen doesn't go skating around the page like a lunatic.

So to answer your question-finally- If I could only use one paper it would probably be the Seven Seas/Tomoe River notebooks and writing pads. It seems to welcome all the inks and nibs I've used. Also, I like the light, crinkly sound it makes when you turn the pages. But I'm happy we don't have to choose just one!

[Lady Onogaro]

I bought a Life tablet from Dave around the time of Incowrimo, and I really like it. But I'm going to also suggest that if you like Tomoe Stationery to check out Kind Words Stationery from Etsy. The seller is a contributor to mostly FPN (maybe she's here on Geeks, too, once in a while???). Anyway, I just got an order, and it's beautiful stuff.

[7188photo]

I see! Never heard or seen the Tomoe River paper, but remember seeing the Life paper last time. Gonna give it a try There's so many different papers here if you'd start trying them all you'd waste a fortune and be very disappointed with most, so it's fantastic to start with what others have already made great experiences with Thank you!

[velo]

Hello there, my first post here. Great forum!

Anyway, just wanted to share my favorite notebook/paper combination, and that must be the Traveler's notebook and the refills from Midori. Here's a link to the website http://www.midori-japan.co.jp/tr/eng...book/products/ (and no, I don't work for them nor do I have anything else to do with them, just really love it!)

Does anyone else have experiences with them? Midori paper in general is like the best I've ever written on. Even if you apply a lake of ink on it, it won't blot through. The color is amazing, too, and it doesn't have offensively contrasty lines/squares like Rhodia notebooks.

Well, since there's no way I can try all the papers out there, if you have experiences with Midori, I'd be happy to hear them

have a great weekend!
Holger

I see your location is Tokyo. I'm just back from a fantastic holiday in Japan. Took my Midori Traveler's passport with me. Their factory was fantastic too. Narita Airport has a store now as well.

Going to the department stores in Japan and seeing the Midori products had me whipping the wallet out faster than you can blink. I bought a handful of the Midori Cotton A5 notebooks...so cheap compared to what I paid to have one posted internationally. I couldn't resist stocking up on Midori Traveler refills as well. Have to admit I was tempted to buy the full size one seeing how much cheaper it was.

[7188photo]

Going to the department stores in Japan and seeing the Midori products had me whipping the wallet out faster than you can blink. I bought a handful of the Midori Cotton A5 notebooks...so cheap compared to what I paid to have one posted internationally. I couldn't resist stocking up on Midori Traveler refills as well. Have to admit I was tempted to buy the full size one seeing how much cheaper it was.

Oh yes, oh yes. It's very hard to resist to buy midori stuff. How expensive is it overseas? I mean, refills here are like 220 Yen or so (for the big one. I'm using the big one), which is not bad at all. Also, not sure about the passport size ones, but for the big refills midori has these really nice binders for your refills, and you can neatly put 6 of these in there and basically get a hardcover book. I love it.
Anything else you bought pen/ink/paper-wise???

[da vinci]

Hello there, my first post here. Great forum!

Anyway, just wanted to share my favorite notebook/paper combination, and that must be the Traveler's notebook and the refills from Midori. Here's a link to the website http://www.midori-japan.co.jp/tr/eng...book/products/ (and no, I don't work for them nor do I have anything else to do with them, just really love it!)

Does anyone else have experiences with them? Midori paper in general is like the best I've ever written on. Even if you apply a lake of ink on it, it won't blot through. The color is amazing, too, and it doesn't have offensively contrasty lines/squares like Rhodia notebooks.

Well, since there's no way I can try all the papers out there, if you have experiences with Midori, I'd be happy to hear them

have a great weekend!
Holger

I see your location is Tokyo. I'm just back from a fantastic holiday in Japan. Took my Midori Traveler's passport with me. Their factory was fantastic too. Narita Airport has a store now as well.

Going to the department stores in Japan and seeing the Midori products had me whipping the wallet out faster than you can blink. I bought a handful of the Midori Cotton A5 notebooks...so cheap compared to what I paid to have one posted internationally. I couldn't resist stocking up on Midori Traveler refills as well. Have to admit I was tempted to buy the full size one seeing how much cheaper it was.

You went to the Midori factory?

[7188photo]

Actually, yes, velo, you went to the Midori factory? Do they have tours or something?

[Austin_Malone]

I'm sure the paper is great, but the price for the notebook itself is sort of ridiculous to me. In MY OPINION even the Rhodia Webnotebook is pushing it.

[velo]

Going to the department stores in Japan and seeing the Midori products had me whipping the wallet out faster than you can blink. I bought a handful of the Midori Cotton A5 notebooks...so cheap compared to what I paid to have one posted internationally. I couldn't resist stocking up on Midori Traveler refills as well. Have to admit I was tempted to buy the full size one seeing how much cheaper it was.

Oh yes, oh yes. It's very hard to resist to buy midori stuff. How expensive is it overseas? I mean, refills here are like 220 Yen or so (for the big one. I'm using the big one), which is not bad at all. Also, not sure about the passport size ones, but for the big refills midori has these really nice binders for your refills, and you can neatly put 6 of these in there and basically get a hardcover book. I love it.
Anything else you bought pen/ink/paper-wise???

The passport refills I buy online and the price is okay but midori notebooks are expensive. I bought one A5 cotton version online for ¥1800 not including postage. At Takashimaya I bought three for ¥2700.

Surprisingly I didn't buy any pens. I think if Nakaya was more readily available instore the story would be different and my wallet lighter. I bought mostly Midori notebooks, refills, two bottles of Iroshizuku ink and some Japanese paper as gifts.

[velo]

You went to the Midori factory?

Yes it's a great little place if you're into Midori or even just stationery.

Actually, yes, velo, you went to the Midori factory? Do they have tours or something?

It's open to the public almost everyday and not that hard to get to in Tokyo.

http://www.travelers-factory.com/about-us/english/

I'm sure the paper is great, but the price for the notebook itself is sort of ridiculous to me. In MY OPINION even the Rhodia Webnotebook is pushing it.

There's something out there for everyone.

[da vinci]

Yes it's a great little place if you're into Midori or even just stationery.

Actually, yes, velo, you went to the Midori factory? Do they have tours or something?

It's open to the public almost everyday and not that hard to get to in Tokyo.

http://www.travelers-factory.com/about-us/english/

I'm sure the paper is great, but the price for the notebook itself is sort of ridiculous to me. In MY OPINION even the Rhodia Webnotebook is pushing it.

There's something out there for everyone.

Wow! Will be adding that to my list for the next visit to Tokyo

[7188photo]

I'm sure the paper is great, but the price for the notebook itself is sort of ridiculous to me. In MY OPINION even the Rhodia Webnotebook is pushing it.

What are you using if I may ask?
Compared to Moleskine (ew) and Rhodia, midori's price isn't bad at all, but quality is higher.
The Traveler's notebook has an expensive cover (36 US$ for the big one), but refills are little more than 2 bucks each and I've been using that system for 3 years now and even though I didn't calculate anything, it feels like it saved me to a of money.
True, it might be more expensive outside of Japan, but it's probably worth comparing the numbers

[Mags]

I just saw on Facebook a #Blackwing Slate notebook coming soon with pencil or pen loopImageUploadedByTapatalk1405813442.667337.jpg

[7188photo]

The passport refills I buy online and the price is okay but midori notebooks are expensive. I bought one A5 cotton version online for ¥1800 not including postage. At Takashimaya I bought three for ¥2700.

Oh yes that IS expensive. I went to LOFT yesterday in a last desperate attempt to find the limited Montblanc da Vinci ink (Itoya and Maruzen didn't have it anymore), and remembered this thread when I saw the midori section. I only used one cotton notebook before (and it's great) so I didn't know the price, but they sold them for 700 Yen - which makes it a shame to hear that it's so expensive overseas. Maybe I should open a small midori retailer that makes it cheaper to get their stuff overseas I'm sure there must already be people selling it cheaper on eBay etc though...

[7188photo]

Yes it's a great little place if you're into Midori or even just stationery.

Actually, yes, velo, you went to the Midori factory? Do they have tours or something?

It's open to the public almost everyday and not that hard to get to in Tokyo.

http://www.travelers-factory.com/about-us/english/

Awesome!! Thanks for that - didn't know! I'll check it out next week or on tomorrow's holiday