Hobonichi Cover Yumi Kitagishi: White Cat's Daily Life (A5)

The A5 cover "White Cat's Daily Life" by Yumi Kitagishi features 35 scenes from the everyday life of a white cat – painted in acrylic gouache with rich colours and the warmth of hand-drawn illustration. The outer material is polyester fabric, with the design printed directly onto it; colour and pattern are created through dyeing or printing on white fabric, which allows for subtle variations between individual copies. Inside, the illustrated world continues: red-chequered lining, also designed by Kitagishi, plus pockets with black-and-white cat motifs and a filmstrip design.

Features

• 35 illustrations at a glance: The entire outer surface of the cover is printed with scenes from cat life – densely packed, with no repeats, each scene a unique snapshot.
• Butterfly Pen Holder: Two pen loops on the front and back keep the cover closed when a single pen is threaded through both – diameter up to 13.5 mm. Ballpoints with grip rubber zones may be harder to thread through.
• Back pocket with hidden illustration: Inside the large back pocket is another drawing by Kitagishi – visible only when reaching in.
• Interior lining by Kitagishi: Red-chequered pattern, designed by the illustrator herself; the right interior pocket features white and black cats plus a filmstrip with the white cat as the motif.
• Left interior pockets: Display colourful stationery motifs that peek out from the pockets – another illustrated detail moment.
• Two bookmarks: In pink and red, for marking two places in the notebook simultaneously.
• Exclusive brand card: An original design card by Kitagishi is included – can be used as a bookmark.
• Hand-crafted finishing: All Hobonichi covers are assembled by hand; minimal variations in colouring and fit between individual copies are typical of the production process.

Use & Tips

• Fits: All Hobonichi Techo notebooks in A5 format (Cousin). The cover easily accommodates books with a spine of up to approximately 12.7 mm; thicker spines are possible but will fit more snugly.
• Pen compatibility: Fountain pens and fineliner pens with round barrels up to 13.5 mm in diameter fit the loops. Pens with rubber grips or angular clips may snag – smooth, cylindrical barrels work most reliably.
• Back pocket: Well suited for flat cards, unusual stickers or a photo – anything you want to see each time you open the notebook (or deliberately hide).
• Cover on cover: If you want to protect the polyester fabric from intense friction, you can add a matching cover-on-cover in A5 format on top.
• Care: Gentle cleaning recommended; polyester fabric is sensitive to rubbing. Colour prints on white background may fade with aggressive cleaning.

For Hobonichi Enthusiasts

Yumi Kitagishi works in acrylic gouache – a medium that combines opaque, matte colour surfaces with clearly defined outlines, distinguishing it from watercolour-like transparency. This quality of the original transfers to the cover print as bold, high-contrast colour without gradient or soft-focus effects. The motif density on the A5 cover is unusually high: Hobonichi specifies 35 individual scenes distributed across the outer surface – a format that deliberately exploits the Cousin's size advantage over the A6 original. The interior lining with red-chequered pattern is also by Kitagishi and is not generic filler material, but an independent visual component of the overall design.

Technical Specifications