Paper is at the heart of every planner. We knew we needed one that is pleasant to write on with both ballpoint and fountain pens, resists show-through, and is thin enough to stay low-profile, even at a high page count. After painstakingly evaluating many different paper stocks, only Tomoe River S was able to meet our exacting expectations.
The fact that it has very little feathering when writing with a fountain pen (and with some pens, no feathering at all) is especially important. No matter how stylish a planner or notebook may look, if the writing smears when using your favorite pen, you simply won’t feel like writing in it.

In designing a planner that could offer maximum flexibility while still feeling satisfying to use, we knew that we wanted to include as many pages as possible within a convenient, carriable size. As a result, we’ve managed to cram an impressive 768 pages (665 of which are blank) into 2.6 cm.
That makes the cbnotebook perfect for almost anyone who wants to enjoy freely customizing their planner – using it as a diary, an idea notebook, a sketchbook, and more – without being bound by someone else’s preferred layout or worrying about how many pages they have left.

For the cover, we chose a black, leather-like Bunny Calf (PVC) to give cbnotebook a stylish look, without needing an additional cover. We initially considered using polyurethane, like some other popular planners, but Bunny Calf is said to be less prone to deterioration over time.
The cover material is soft, and because the entire notebook is trimmed with a single-cut process, there are no uneven edges. This makes it possible to flip through the pages while holding the notebook in one hand.

Primarily, rounding the corners helps prevent them from picking up wear or changing shape over time. With sharp corners, curling and warping are more likely to occur, giving an older planner a characterful, well-used look. While both types have their own unique charm, this planner may be better suited to those who want to keep it looking as clean as possible.
Rounding the corners also gives a touch of cuteness to soften the image of an otherwise intimidating, completely black planner.

With the layout of this planner including 3 sections – monthly, weekly, and ample free space – we felt it was essential offer 3 ribbons to help you flip between sections at a moments notice. Of course, at a total of over 700 pages, we’re sure that our fans will find plenty of exciting ways to divide up their planners.

The greatest appeal of this product is its “freedom to customize.” With approximately 690 pages of ample writing space (in the monthly and blank pages), you can enjoy using it in a variety of ways to suit your lifestyle, without having to worry about how many pages you have left.

Here are some example ways to use it:

Suggestion 1: Life Logs & Travel Journals (Have Fun Pasting)
As a record of your café visits and travels, you can freely scrapbook coffee labels, shop cards, receipts, stamps, and more.

Suggestion 2: Organizing Ideas & Thoughts (Have Fun Writing)
You can use it as a notebook for jotting down ideas that suddenly come to you each day or scribbling out the thoughts and feelings that are swirling around in your head. By looking back through them at the end of each month or year, you may discover clues for new actions to take.

Suggestion 3: Sketchbook (Have Fun Drawing)
By gradually adding drawings of everyday scenes and illustrations, you can create a one-of-a-kind collection of your own artwork by the end of the year.

If you could see in your planner which days are good for starting something new, wouldn’t it make planning your schedule more enjoyable and give you extra motivation? That is why we decided to include Rokuyo and Ichiryū Manbaibi, among other auspicious days.
As the name of the planner suggests, we have also included days related to coffee and beer. We hope this will help you enjoy coffee and beer even more.
By the way, Ichiryū Manbaibi (一粒万倍日, pronounced “ee-chee-ry-oo mon-bye-bee”) are considered auspicious days, on par with Taian (the very auspicious days of the Rokuyo). The name carries the meaning that “a single grain of rice will grow ten thousandfold and produces a great harvest,” and it is considered a good day to start something new.

On my morning commute, I was thinking, “Today is the final day to submit a name for the planner… What should I do? I haven’t come up with anything.” When I thought about when I usually write in my planner, I realized that I tend to write while enjoying a relaxing moment with a cup of coffee or a beer. That realization became the inspiration for the name.