Hobonichi

What Hobonichi does

Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (株式会社ほぼ日) is a Tokyo-based, publicly traded (TYO: 3560) content and product company that builds branded "places" where people gather around original editorial, stationery, lifestyle goods, and live experiences. The business is anchored by the Hobonichi website (daily-updated original content since June 1998) and the Hobonichi Techo planner — the flagship physical product launched in 2001 that is now sold in over 100 countries and reframed as a "LIFE's BOOK" for personal organization and journaling. The product portfolio was extended in October 2025 with the Hobonichi Techo App, a digital companion that records photos, locations, and schedules, and includes the AR-enabled Hobonichi Earth Ball globe, the Hobonichi School learning platform/app, the Dokonoko pet photo SNS, and lifestyle sub-brands (weeksdays, Shin;Kuu, yozora, "For the Sleepless Bear"), plus the MOTHER Project merchandise franchise.

The company monetizes through a mix of direct e-commerce (1101.com/store), proprietary retail and gallery spaces (TOBICHI Tokyo and Kyoto, Hobonichi Yobi at Shibuya PARCO, Hobononoeki AKAGI), event revenues (the Seikatsu no Tanoshimi content festival), and recurring app subscriptions (Hobonichi School, Techo App, Dokonoko). Distribution is omnichannel, combining own-storefront e-commerce with physical retail and an expanding international presence that now generates more than half of total revenue. Go-to-market is content-led and event-driven: original editorial, viral TikTok content, and international fan meetups in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, and London drive discovery and demand for the physical and digital Techo products. Customers are predominantly individual consumers; there are no disclosed enterprise or B2B customers.

At the most recent reporting period (fiscal year 2025), Hobonichi reported revenue in the tens of billions of yen (consistent with the mid-hundreds of millions of USD range), with 18% year-on-year sales growth across all markets, 20% growth outside Japan, and overseas unit sales having doubled over five years. The company employs 156 people (including contract staff, as of August 2025), is led by Chairman/CEO Shigesato Itoi (founder, 1979) and President/COO Ayako Koizumi, and holds ISO/IEC 27001 (ISMS) certification for information security management.

Name

Hobonichi

Legal name

株式会社ほぼ日 (Hobonichi Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://hobonichi.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Hobonichi (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 3560) is a Japanese content and product company best known for the Hobonichi Techo planner, sold in 100+ countries, and an ecosystem spanning original editorial, a 2025-launched digital Techo app, learning and pet apps, AR globe, and branded retail/gallery spaces, serving individual consumers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sales of Hobonichi Techo planners and related stationery products, lifestyle goods, clothing, and food products. The Hobonichi Techo is sold in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Sales increased 18% year-on-year across all markets and 20% outside Japan, with overseas revenue now accounting for more than half of total revenue.
2. App Services: Revenue from Hobonichi School app subscriptions, Hobonichi Techo app, and Dokonoko pet photo SNS app.
3. Events and Spaces: Revenue from physical event spaces including TOBICHI galleries and event venues, and the annual Seikatsu no Tanoshimi shopping-focused exhibition/festival.
4. Content Production: Original content creation including the Hobonichi website, books, and various creative content that drives engagement and product discovery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hobonichi is a Japanese content company that plans, edits, produces, and sells original content products. Its flagship offering is the Hobonichi Techo planner, sold in over 100 countries since 2001 under the theme "LIFE's BOOK." The company also operates the daily Hobonichi content website (since 1998), develops mobile apps (Hobonichi Techo app, Hobonichi School, Dokonoko), produces AR-enabled products like the Hobonichi Earth Ball globe, runs physical retail and gallery spaces (TOBICHI, Nearly Sunday), and curates lifestyle sub-brands (weeksdays, Shin;Kuu, yozora) and event properties.

Product overview

Hobonichi Co., Ltd. is a Japanese content company that creates 'places' where people gather and provides 'good time' content through planning, editing, producing, and selling various products. The portfolio consists of a core digital content platform (ほぼ日 website), flagship physical and digital planner products (Hobonichi Techo/ほぼ日手帳 and the 2025 Hobonichi App), AR-enabled educational products (Hobonichi Earth Ball), learning platforms (Hobonichi School), and pet-focused social apps (Dokonoko). These are complemented by physical retail spaces (TOBICHI Tokyo and Kyoto, ほぼ日曜日 gallery), lifestyle sub-brands (weeksdays, Shin;Kuu, yozora, ねむれないくまのために), event properties (生活のたのしみ展, ほぼ日MOTHERプロジェクト), and regional facilities (ほぼの駅 AKAGI). The company operates primarily in Japan with significant international expansion, selling planners in over 100 countries and generating more than half of revenue overseas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hobonichi Techo (ほぼ日手帳) Original Japanese planner/手帳 launched in 2001. The company's flagship product themed as a 'LIFE's BOOK' that accompanies users' daily lives, available in over 100 countries and regions. Sold in various formats including weekly, monthly, and yearly views with multiple cover options. The 2026 edition sold over 1 million copies within 5 months of release.
• Hobonichi Techo App (ほぼ日アプリ) Digital version of the Hobonichi Techo launched in October 2025. A smartphone app that records photos, places visited, schedules, and daily memories as a digital 'LIFE's BOOK' for users seeking digital journaling on mobile devices.
• Hobonichi Earth Ball (ほぼ日のアースボール) AR-enabled globe that displays world information when scanned with smartphone or tablet. Launched December 2017 with second model released November 2020. Suitable for both adults and children as an educational globe with augmented reality content.
• Hobonichi School (ほぼ日の學校) Learning platform where users can meet various people, hear their stories, and learn freely. Available as app and YouTube video content, with real-world events. Launched January 2018, with app launched June 2021 on a subscription model.
• Dokonoko (ドコノコ) Photo-sharing SNS app for dogs and cats. Users register pets, post photos and comments to create records like making a book. Also serves for lost pet information sharing for pet owners.
• TOBICHI (とびち) Multi-purpose retail space combining store, gallery, and event venue. Serves as 'enclaves' for Hobonichi and collaborating artists/groups. First location opened August 2014 in Tokyo, second in Kyoto June 2017. Offers exhibitions, workshops, and Hobonichi goods shopping.
• Hobonichi Yobi (ほぼ日曜日) Gallery space in Shibuya PARCO 8F offering diverse 'expressions' including exhibitions, live performances, cafe, and workshops for art and culture enthusiasts.
• Seikatsu no Tanoshimi-ten (生活のたのしみ展) Shopping-focused content festival created collaboratively with artists, brands, shops, and companies. Launched March 2017 as a recurring event property.
• weeksdays Lifestyle brand created with stylist Itoi Masako, offering clothing, food, and lifestyle content and products. Launched July 2018.
• Nemukuma no Tame ni (ねむれないくまのために / For the Sleepless Bear) Project focused on making sleep and surrounding time enjoyable, featuring sleep-related content and original pillows and bedding for sleep-conscious consumers.
• Shin;Kuu Skincare and makeup brand focusing on skin and beauty tools. Launched February 2021 for beauty-conscious consumers.
• yozora Camping lifestyle brand launched January 2024 for outdoor lifestyle enthusiasts.
• Hobonichi MOTHER Project (ほぼ日MOTHERプロジェクト) Official MOTHER game merchandise and content project enabling fans worldwide to enjoy the MOTHER universe through licensed merchandise and content.
• Hobonichi no Eki AKAGI (ほぼの駅 AKAGI) Facility located at Mt. Akagi in Gunma Prefecture, repurposed from a former railway station building. Offers scenic views, local food, and shopping for travelers and visitors.
• Hobonichi Website (ほぼ日) Daily updated website featuring original content including articles, videos, shopping, and events. Founded June 6, 1998, serving as the company's primary digital content platform and editorial hub for the Hobonichi brand community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2026 edition sold over 1 million copies within 5 months of release
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DataRepminorOthers · 1 November 2021DataRep serves as Hobonichi's data protection representative in the EU and UK for GDPR compliance purposes. They handle inquiries related to personal data protection from EU/EEA and UK residents.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Papier: UK-based online-first personalized stationery and planner brand; comparable as a digitally native competitor in the premium customizable planner category.
• Rifle Paper Co. US-based design-led stationery and lifestyle brand with premium positioning; overlaps with Hobonichi in design-conscious planner and paper products targeted at similar demographics.

Direct peers

• Moleskine: Premium notebook and planner brand sold globally, directly comparable to Hobonichi Techo as a high-end paper planner/journal product targeting design-conscious consumers.
• Erin Condren: US-based planner and stationery company offering customizable planners, notebooks, and lifestyle paper products—directly comparable product line and consumer target.
• Leuchtturm1917: German premium notebook and planner manufacturer; competes with Hobonichi in the same premium planner/journal category with similar distribution and customer profile.
• Midori (Designphil Inc.): Japanese stationery maker known for high-quality paper notebooks (MD Paper) and writing instruments; closest domestic peer to Hobonichi in premium paper goods.
• Paperchase: UK-headquartered stationery and lifestyle retailer with global reach; comparable as a design-led multi-category stationery and gift brand before its 2023 restructuring.

Broad incumbents

• Muji (Ryohin Keikaku): Large Japanese lifestyle retailer offering stationery, home goods, and apparel; comparable as a content-and-design-driven Japanese brand selling globally, though at lower price points and broader assortment.
• Pilot Corporation: Established Japanese writing instruments and stationery manufacturer; broadly comparable as a Japanese stationery incumbent with global distribution, though focused on pens rather than planners.
• Sanrio: Japanese content/lifestyle company monetizing character IP across products, retail, and experiences; comparable as a Japan-listed content-to-product company leveraging strong brand identity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/1101complus
• Facebookfacebook.com/hobonichi.library
• Instagraminstagram.com/hobonichi1101

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hobonichi