Japan has been making paper since the 7th century. The tradition — known as washi (和紙, literally "Japanese paper") — was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014. For over a millennium, Japanese papermakers have been refining techniques for producing paper with qualities that remain unmatched in many categories: extraordinary thinness combined with unusual strength, surfaces that capture ink without absorbing it excessively, and papers designed for specific purposes from printmaking to calligraphy to the wrapping of gifts.
Modern Japanese stationery papers — Tomoe River, MD Paper, the papers used in Hobonichi planners — are products of this tradition, refined through continuous development rather than preserved as antiques.
Washi: the traditional paper
Traditional washi is made from the fibres of specific Japanese plants — primarily kōzo (paper mulberry), mitsumata (Edgeworthia chrysantha), and gampi. These fibres produce longer, more intertwined strands than the wood pulp used in most Western papers, which gives washi its characteristic strength-to-weight ratio: extraordinarily thin sheets that are significantly more durable than paper of comparable weight made by other methods.
Washi is used for calligraphy, printmaking, origami, bookbinding, and a range of traditional craft and artistic purposes. Its texture and surface treatment make it ideal for specific calligraphy and printmaking applications — the ink spreads and absorbs differently from any Western paper equivalent.
Tomoe River paper
Tomoe River paper is not traditional washi — it's a modern industrial product originally developed as lightweight paper for magazine printing. But it shares washi's characteristic strength-to-weight ratio: at 52gsm, it's significantly lighter than most papers, yet it resists bleedthrough and feathering far better than the weight implies.
The paper was originally made by Tomoegawa. After Tomoegawa shifted production in 2019, Sanzen acquired the process and produces the current version as Tomoe River S. The paper used in Hobonichi planners is a specific formulation optimised for the planner format — slightly different from loose-sheet Tomoe River S, though both are exceptional fountain pen surfaces.
Tomoe River's surface chemistry is what makes it special for fountain pen use: the paper is treated to resist absorption, allowing ink to sit on the surface longer. This produces cleaner edges, more dramatic shading, and sheen effects that would be invisible on more absorbent papers.
MD Paper
Midori's MD Paper was developed in 1960 specifically for handwriting. Rather than the low-absorbency surface treatment of Tomoe River, MD Paper uses hardwood pulp that yields a softer, slightly more textured surface — one that has pleasant feedback under the pen rather than the glassy quality of Tomoe River. MD Paper absorbs ink somewhat faster than Tomoe River, which means faster dry times and less dramatic sheen effects, but also a warmer, more organic writing experience.
The cream tone of MD Paper is intentional — a warm ivory rather than a stark white, easier on the eyes for sustained writing and giving coloured inks a slightly richer quality than they'd have on white paper.
The papermaking philosophy
Japanese papermakers, like Japanese craftspeople in general, apply the concept of monozukuri (物作り — the art of making things) to paper production. The goal is not the cheapest acceptable product but the most refined possible version of the product — paper that feels right under the hand, responds correctly to ink, and remains usable for decades or centuries.
This philosophy is visible in the product range available at The Journal Shop — from the Hobonichi's Tomoe River paper through the Midori MD range through the Life Noble's textured cream paper. Each represents a different set of choices about what a piece of paper should do and how it should feel.
Browse Japanese stationery and paper products at The Journal Shop.
Where to start: browse our fountain-pen-friendly notebooks and Japanese paper at The Journal Shop.
