June 4, 2016 
Who else loves notebooks? I constantly on the hunt for different notebooks for different purposes. Lately, I have been thinking about the right notebook to take to Japan later in the year. On my last trip, I was accompanied by a soft cover Moleskine Classic Large (14cm x 21cm) notebook. Over the years, I have gradually migrated from hard to soft covers. Without a bit of flex, a notebook can jut out in your bag, and make it a bit uncomfortable.
I found the Moleskine a bit too large and added some unwanted weight. Only a little bit, but every gram counts when you are walking for hours through a foreign city – particularly when you are carrying a camera, phone charging battery, wireless router, and a pencil!
Over the two weeks, I found that I needed more than a notebook. I was constantly sticky taping things into the notebook to help with each day’s itinerary – whether it be a guide, a map, or some other information. I also like collecting bits and pieces to remind me of each day’s highlights. I am loathe to admit it, but I tend a bit towards being a “scrapbooker” when I travel now… Yikes! That makes me sound like a middle aged lady crafter…
I have been thinking (probably waaaaayyyyy too much to be considered healthy) and searching the interwebs for a new solution.
I stumbled across the holy grail whilst exploring themes around Japan in preparation for my next trip – the Japanese would appear to share my stationary fetish based on their massive stores full of notebooks, washi tape, pens, and office stuff… Behold the Midori Traveller’s Notebook!
The Midori Traveller’s Notebook is not so much a single notebook, but more a buildable and customisable system.
Start by selecting your size – regular or passport size (I chose regular)
Select your preferred cover – real leather. A sensory delight! The leather covers are designed to wear over time, and are delivered beautifully packaged. The cover is soft, but still rigid enough to support and protect the notebooks within.
Select your insert notebooks – there are a range of inner notebooks that you buy separately. They range from ultra light to sketching weight papers. There is a band in the cover that you slide the notebook into to hold it. I love this idea. 
You only have to invest in the leather cover once, then keep rotating the notebooks in and out as you use them up!
Add additional notebooks if you like – there are additional rubber bands specially designed to hold additional notebooks within the cover should you want to. Two or three seems to be the comfortable maximum based on my trials.
Accessorize – yah, it is a bit girly, but the accessories are very nice! I picked out a whole bunch to try.
- A clear plastic zip lock sack to hold plane tickets, maps etc.
- Some self adhesive plastic holders to hold business cards and other documents.
- A self adhesive pencil holder
- And a specially designed binder to hold filled notebooks
From “The Journal Shop” website
Recommendation?
Love them! The notebook is perfect. It is nice and narrow which seems to fit in my camera bag a lot easier than a wider notebook. The flexible nature helps it fit pretty much anywhere. The accessories are amazingly useful. The plastic zip lock already has a plane ticket safely tucked away for my upcoming Sydney trip.
Some gratuitous “expert user” images from the Midori Website…
The paper weight of the standard notebook is perfect for writing – some notebooks go a bit cheap here which I find incredibly annoying. For the record, I use 4B pencils to write with. If you haven’t used one, get down to officeworks and experience the difference – darker and smoother to write with.
You can find Midori Traveller’s Notebooks here :
I have used both of these guys before, very happily :
http://scratchandjotter.com.au/sb-travelers-notebook/
I haven’t used these guys, but they look legit!
https://www.bookbindersonline.com.au/collections/midori-traveler
http://www.thejournalshop.com/notebooks-and-journals/by-brand/midori
Notebooks are an important tool for me. You can read more about how I use notebooks here :
Inconspicuosity 
I just read this on the web:
http://qz.com/703261/a-100-year-old-japanese-stationary-store-lets-customers-design-the-perfect-custom-notebook/
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Wowser! thanks for sharing mate…. Will check it out when I am there at the end of the year!
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When?? An there in Nov. There is another paper place at Harajuku – apparently very good too. I have always wanted to do a paper making course at a community college or something.
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