Muraki, who runs ONOE NOTE, learned leather-bound notebook-making in Italy itself, the birthplace of the craft. The vividly colored decorative fabric (headband) attached to the top and bottom of each ONOE NOTE's spine is also hand-sewn, following the traditions of Italian bookbinding.

The binding of the pages, too, is entirely hand-sewn. That's what keeps the notebook from becoming too stiff, letting the pages open easily. The thread used for binding is coated with beeswax, giving it a beautiful sheen once sewn. Look at the spine, and you'll notice the binding cords raised in ridges — the same construction method used in old Western books. Incidentally, there's apparently a rule that the narrower gap between these "spine bands" should face upward.

The leather covers are supplied by the leather goods brand Tsunoo, guaranteeing their quality. The result is a cover with all the charm unique to leather, developing more character the more it's used. The surface is embossed, making it resistant to scratches, so it holds up fine for everyday use, tossed into a bag. It's a sturdy notebook, built to last for decades.

Muraki's wish in making ONOE NOTE is for it to become the kind of "book" you'd line up on a shelf once filled, a single volume that captures the thoughts of the person who wrote in it. "I have this image that whatever you write down starts becoming real," Muraki says. Write it down in an ONOE NOTE, where it stays permanently recorded, and perhaps the results will gradually follow.
Available in two colors, black and dark brown, and two sizes, L and R. In an age when handwriting has become rarer, this is the kind of notebook that lets you properly preserve the things that matter most.

Sales through Kaimon are currently suspended.