Hobonichi 2020 Freebies Stickers Pens And Planner Accessories

Hobonichi, a Japanese company founded by copywriter Shigesato Itoi in 1998, has gained a dedicated following for its planners, stationery, and related accessories. The company, known officially as "Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun" or simply "Hobonichi," creates content and products designed to be gathering places where people can have a good time. In 2020, Hobonichi offered several freebies and promotional items to accompany their popular planner systems. This article explores the Hobonichi 2020 freebies available to consumers, detailing their features, specifications, and how they could be obtained.

Hobonichi Brand Background

Hobonichi has developed a strong reputation for high-quality planners and stationery products that blend functionality with artistic elements. The company's name, "Hobo Nikkan," translates to "almost daily," reflecting their commitment to publishing new content almost every day since their founding. Their flagship product, the Hobonichi Techo planner, has evolved over years based on feedback from customers and media.

The 2020 product lineup included various planner systems such as the standard Hobonichi Techo, the Cousin size, and the Weeks planner. Along with these main products, Hobonichi offered several freebies and promotional items to enhance the user experience and reward customers.

Hobonichi Weeks Stickers (HWF037)

One of the notable freebies from Hobonichi's 2020 offerings was the HWF037 sticker set designed specifically for use with Hobonichi Weeks planners. These stickers were distributed as part of the "Picnic 2020 freebies" promotion.

The sticker set included 20 individual stickers that were designed to complement the Hobonichi Weeks planner system. While the specific designs of the stickers were not detailed in the source materials, they were noted to be compatible with the Hobonichi Weeks size, as indicated by a size comparison reference image.

The stickers offered users additional customization options for their planners, allowing for personalization and functional organization of planner pages. As a free promotional item, these stickers represented an added value for customers purchasing or using Hobonichi Weeks planners.

3-Color Ballpoint Pen

Another 2020 promotional item from Hobonichi was a 3-Color Ballpoint Pen featuring the Hobonichi Techo 2020 branding. This practical writing instrument was designed to complement the planner systems and provide users with multiple color options for their planning and note-taking needs.

The pen featured: - Three ink colors: black, red, and blue - 0.5 mm pen tip for precise writing - A red pen body with the "Hobonichi Techo 2020" logo on the pen clip - Refills available for purchase separately

Specifications for the pen included: - Size: Diameter 12.2 mm × Length 144 mm - Weight: 11g - Main material: Polycarbonate

This multi-color pen was particularly useful for Hobonichi planner users who wanted to color-code their entries, highlight important dates, or simply have a versatile writing instrument that matched their planner system. The availability of refills ensured that the pen could be used long after the initial promotional period.

Day-Free Cousin Size

The Day-Free Cousin Size represented another significant product in Hobonichi's 2020 lineup, though its status as a freebie wasn't explicitly confirmed in the source materials. This A5 size monthly techo was introduced as part of the 2020 edition and offered a unique planning format that differed from the standard daily planners.

Key features of the Day-Free Cousin Size included: - A5 size dimensions: 148 x 210 x 8 mm (5.8" x 8.3" x 0.3") - Weight: Approximately 230g - Split into two main sections: monthly calendars and a graph-paper notebook - 171 pages of graph paper with 3.7 mm squares - Japanese daily quotes characteristic of Hobonichi products - A flipbook comic by Aki Kondo on the bottom right page of each spread - Yearly calendar covering 2020, 2021, and 2022 - Yearly index page for January 2021 through December 2021 - Monthly calendar sections from December 2020 through March (year not specified) - Informational pages in the back of the book - Stitch-binding - Thin, light Tomoe River paper resistant to bleeding

The Day-Free Cousin Size was designed to be light and portable while still offering substantial planning space. Its unique format allowed users to "fill in as much as you want at a time without feeling constricted to dates," making it versatile for journaling, drawing, graph-making, or pasting mementos.

While not explicitly labeled as a freebie, the Day-Free Cousin Size might have been offered as part of a promotion or bundle with other Hobonichi products in 2020, given its inclusion in the promotional materials and product listings from that year.

Other Hobonichi 2020 Products

In addition to the freebies and promotional items mentioned, Hobonichi's 2020 lineup included numerous other products that enhanced the planner experience. These included various sticker sets, cover options, and accessories designed to complement their planner systems.

Hobonichi Weeks Mini Fullboxes were available, offering compact planning solutions. The company also released several themed Hobonichi Weeks kits throughout the year, including: - Pastel Galaxy Hobonichi Weeks Kit - Twinkle twinkle Hobonichi Weeks Kit - Spring Forward Hobonichi Weeks Kit - Summer Fun Hobonichi Weeks Kit - Onesies Hobonichi Weeks Kit - Sweet Monsters Hobonichi Weeks Kit - Wonderland Hobonichi Weeks Kit - Holiday Cheer Hobonichi Weeks Kit - New Years Hobonichi Kit - A Lovely Life Hobonichi Weeks Kit - Spring Adventures Hobonichi Weeks Kit

These themed kits typically included stickers, decorative elements, and sometimes functional planning tools designed around specific themes or aesthetics. They allowed users to customize their planners according to personal preferences or seasonal interests.

Additionally, Hobonichi offered Emoti Heads products, including the "Emoti Heads Buy All Bundle" and "My Emoti Planner Vol.2," which appeared to be focused on emotional tracking and expression within the planning system.

How to Obtain Hobonichi Freebies

Based on the source materials, several methods were available for obtaining Hobonichi products and potentially their freebies in 2020:

1. Direct from Hobonichi Store: The Hobonichi Store offered products directly, with a countdown in August 2020 leading up to the opening of the 2021 store in early September. This store likely carried the freebies and promotional items as part of product bundles or special promotions.

2. Retail Partners: Products were available through various retail partners, including:

   • Kinokuniya USA, which hosted pop-up shops and events
   • Amazon
   • Jetpens

3. Special Events: Kinokuniya USA hosted special events that featured Hobonichi products, such as:

   • A Kaweco Pop-Up at Maido Extension from October 31 to November 9
   • A Tamagotchi Pop-Up Shop in November (specific dates not provided)

Order processing times for Hobonichi products were noted to be 1-4 weeks, indicating that customers should plan accordingly when expecting delivery of freebies or promotional items.

Conclusion

Hobonichi's 2020 freebies and promotional items offered added value to customers investing in their planner systems. The HWF037 sticker set provided 20 decorative and functional stickers for Weeks planners, while the 3-Color Ballpoint Pen offered practical writing capabilities with multiple ink options. The Day-Free Cousin Size represented an innovative planning format that provided flexibility for users who didn't require daily planning layouts.

These freebies and promotional items reflected Hobonichi's commitment to enhancing the user experience and building community around their products. By offering these additional items, the company demonstrated an understanding of the planner enthusiast's desire for customization, personalization, and quality accessories.

For consumers interested in obtaining Hobonichi products and potential freebies, multiple purchasing channels were available, including direct from the Hobonichi Store, through retailers like Kinokuniya USA, Amazon, and Jetpens, and at special pop-up events. The variety of themed kits and accessories released throughout 2020 ensured that users could find products that matched their personal style and planning needs.

Sources

1. HappyDayA - Hobonichi Weeks Stickers
2. 1101.com - Day-Free Cousin Size Information
3. 1101.com - 3-Color Ballpoint Pen Details
4. TheShuBox - Hobonichi Techo Overview
5. TheCoffeeMonsterzCo - Hobonichi Products
6. Kinokuniya USA - Pop-Up Events