Keiko Shibata: Emotional Reunion with Kariya-san A5 Cousin Size - Techo Lineup

Keiko ShibataEmotional Reunion with Kariya-sanA5 Cousin Size

We’ve turned this unique piece of art by Keiko Shibata into a Hobonichi Techo cover. “Emotional Reunion with Kariya-san” was originally drawn for Shibata’s personal art gallery held in 2017.

Kariya-san the elephant has reunited with a young girl and is holding her tightly. This single image expresses a very heartfelt story.

The design is printed onto a textured polyester material to ensure the cover retains the warm, artistic touch of the original oil pastel piece. Kariya-san’s pink color really pops against the white-washed walls. You can see the happy expressions on the two of them as they embrace.

The dark brown piping around the edges of the cover serves as a decorative frame for Shibata’s art. If you keep this cover on your desk, it’ll catch your eye and bring you some cheer.

The interior of the cover is a gentle light beige. The two bookmarks are made with faux leather with the feel of suede, and the charms at the ends are colorful beads made of wood.

The left hand pocket is printed with Keiko Shibata’s signature.

You can also purchase a Hobonichi Pencil Board for the A5 size techo. It’s printed with Keiko Shibata’s art piece “Swaying tulips.”

There are many more items in our collaboration with Keiko Shibata in the Hobonichi Techo 2025 lineup! This includes the techo covers “Bus management by Mr. and Mrs. Inoue” in A6 size and “Emotional Reunion with Kariya-san” in A5 size. There’s also a Weeks book called “Thanks for your hard work, Aoki-san.” The design “Dog Ears Fluttering in the Wind” is available on a Cover on Cover, which fits over a Hobonichi Techo A6 or A5 cover, and the Clear Cover, which fits over a Weeks book. The Hobonichi Paper(s) notebook has a cover with the design “Ueda-san’s summer of hugs.” Also available with prints by Keiko Shibata are the Hobonichi Pencil Board and a graph paper notebook, which continue from last year’s lineup. These all help expand the unique and charming world of Keiko Shibata!

About Keiko Shibata

Born in Kochi prefecture. Picture book works include the Meganeko series (Tegamisha), the SHIROKUMA series (PHP Institute), and the PANDOROBOU “Bread Thief” series (KADOKAWA).

Keiko Shibata Official Website

A Conversation between Keiko Shibata and Shigesato Itoi (Hobonichi)

They may have unique names, but check their expressions, too

Our Keiko Shibata collaboration collection was very popular in our Hobonichi Techo 2024 Spring lineup, and we’ve chosen some previous works from a personal art gallery for further products. These unique works include “Bus management by Mr. and Mrs. Inoue,” “Emotional Reunion with Kariya-san,” and “Thanks for your hard work, Aoki-san” which had characters in each piece with an identified last name, and the names were all lined up in alphabetical order. Each scene also appears to have a story behind it. The expressions on the characters’ faces are also indescribably cute.

Keiko Shibata mainly uses oil pastel for her artwork. The colors have a warmth to them that we’ve made sure to preserve when printing them onto the covers, so we encourage you to really observe these details.

Each techo cover has bookmark materials and charms that match the design of the cover.

We’ve also created a Cover on Cover and Paper(s) notebook with Shibata’s art on them so users can enjoy her unique and playful art on our staple accessories and bring it everywhere they go.

Introduction to the Keiko Shibata series products

(Hobonichi Techo 2025 lineup)

Staff List

Photographer: Styled Images: Nobuki Kawaharazaki / Product Detail: Hiroyuki Oe
Stylist: Minami Nosaki

Keiko ShibataEmotional Reunion with Kariya-sanA5 Cousin Size

¥7,700 - ¥9,350 (incl. tax)
¥4,180 (incl. tax)

20 per item

Available

Normal

Specifications*Specifications may vary slightly

Cover

Size

H: 228 x W: 337 x T: 3 mm / H: 9" x W: 13.3" x T: 0.1"
*Excluding pen holders

Weight

Approx. 170 g

Main material

Exterior: Polyester / Interior: Polyester

Compatible Techo Books

Cousin (A5)
1 page per day
Cousin Avec (A5)
1 page per day 6-month book
Day-Free
Monthly notebook

Cousin | One-Page-Per-Day TypeJapanese / English

type	Monday Start (Japanese) Monday Start (English)
Size	A5 H: 210 x W: 148 x T: 18 mm / H: 8.3" x W: 5.8" x T: 0.7" *Specifications may vary slightly
Weight	Approx. 445 g
Dates	Jan 2026 - Dec 2026 (Jan start) Apr 2026 - Mar 2027 (Apr start)

A daily techo with lots of space to write

This A5-size techo provides ample space on each daily page. It’s great for keeping in one place at home or at work and you can use it to track your child’s growth or exchange with someone.

Daily pages
Yearly calendar
Yearly index
Monthly calendar
Weekly pages
Memo pages

View details on features and included content

Cousin Avec | One-Page-Per-Day Type (2-Book Set)Japanese

type	Monday Start (Japanese)
Size	A5 Each Book: H: 210 x W: 148 x T: 10 mm / H: 8.3" x W: 5.8" x T: 0.4" *Specifications may vary slightly
Weight	Each Book: Approx. 260 g
Dates	Book 1: Jan 2026 - June 2026 Book 2: July 2026 - Dec 2026

Each 6-month daily techo is thin and light for easy carry

This techo splits the year into two 6-month books, making it easy to carry while keeping the same page design and layout as the standard edition.

Daily pages
Yearly calendar
Yearly index
Monthly calendar
Weekly pages
Memo pages

View details on features and included content

Day-Free | Monthly Techo + NotebookJapanese

type	Monday Start (Japanese)
Size	A5 H: 210 x W: 148 x T: 8 mm / H: 8.3" x W: 5.8" x T: 0.3" *Specifications may vary slightly
Weight	Approx. 220 g
Dates	Dec 2025 - Mar 2027

A monthly notebook with undated pages to write freely

This techo starts with monthly calendars and ends with undated graph paper pages so you can write whenever you want, and as much as you want.

Monthly calendar
Yearly calendar
Yearly index
Graph paper notebook pages

View details on features and included content

Book (Cousin English Edition / English / January Start)

Size	A5 size H: 210 x W: 148 x T: 18 mm / H: 8.3" x W: 5.8" x T: 0.7" *Actual book size may vary slightly
Weight	Approx. 445 g
Language	English
Pages	544 pages
Paper Type / Binding	Thin, light Tomoe River paper that is smooth to write on and designed for planners / Stitch-binding
Graph Paper Size	3.7 mm
Start of Week	Monday-start week
Yearly Calendar	2025, 2026, 2027
Yearly Index	Jan. 2026 - Dec 2026 (4 pages)
Monthly Calendar	Dec. 2025 - Mar. 2027 (32 pages)
Daily Pages	Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2026 (377 pages) A page is included at the beginning of each month to help in planning ahead. Every two-page spread includes one daily quote. Includes a mini monthly calendar at the bottom right of every two-page spread (Monday-start). Additionally, a blank two-page spread is featured at the beginning to provide a free area when starting out the book.
Daily Quotes	One quote per two-page spread (English)
Weekly Pages	Dec 29, 2025 - Jan 3, 2027 (106 pages)
Memo Pages	6 pages
Bonus Pages	Time Table / Graph Paper / Favorites / My 100 / Memories 2026 / 12 Switches to Help You Focus / For a Comfortable Night’s Sleep / Words to Remember / 365 Days Check-Off Sheet / Getting the Most Out of Your Hobonichi Techo / Gifts / Addresses / Personal Notes
Listed Information	Day of the year / Week of the year (listed on monthly calendars and weekly pages) / Moon phase (daily pages include every phase, monthly calendars and weekly pages only include full and new moon)
Other	See the Exploring Each Type page for more details

Book (Cousin / Japanese / January Start)

Size	A5 size H: 210 x W: 148 x T: 18 mm / H: 8.3" x W: 5.8" x T: 0.7" *Actual book size may vary slightly
Weight	Approx. 445 g
Language	Japanese
Pages	544 pages
Paper Type / Binding	Thin, light Tomoe River paper that is smooth to write on and designed for planners / Stitch-binding
Graph Paper Size	3.7 mm
Start of Week	Monday-start week
Yearly Calendar	2025, 2026, 2027
Yearly Index	Jan. 2026 - Dec 2026 (4 pages)
Monthly Calendar	Dec. 2025 - Mar. 2027 (32 pages)
Daily Pages	Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 2026 (377 pages) A page is included at the beginning of each month to help in planning ahead. All daily pages include daily quotes. Includes a mini monthly calendar at the bottom right of every two-page spread (Monday-start). Additionally, a blank two-page spread is featured at the beginning to provide a free area when starting out the book.
Daily Quotes	One per day (Japanese)
Weekly Pages	Dec 29, 2025 - Jan 3, 2027 (106 pages)
Memo Pages	6 pages
Bonus Pages	Time Table / Graph Paper / Favorites / My 100 / Memories 2026 / 12 Switches to Help You Focus / For a Comfortable Night’s Sleep / Solar Terms / Emergency Preparedness / Gifts / Age Table / Conversion Chart / Getting the most of Hobonichi / Addresses / Personal Notes
Listed Information	Day of the year / Week of the year (listed on monthly calendars and weekly pages) / Old lunar calendar / Rokuyo (traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar) (listed on monthly calendars) / Solar terms / Japanese holidays / Moon phase (daily pages include every phase, monthly calendars and weekly pages only include full and new moon)
Other	See the Exploring Each Type page for more details

Book (Cousin Avec / Japanese / January Start / 2-Book Set)

Size	A5 size x 2 books Each Book: H: 210 x W: 148 x T: 10 mm / H: 8.3" x W: 5.8" x T: 0.4" *Actual book size may vary slightly
Weight	Each Book: Approx. 260 g
Language	Japanese
Pages	Each Book: 288 pages
Paper Type / Binding	Thin, light Tomoe River paper that is smooth to write on and designed for planners / Stitch-binding
Start of Week	3.7 mm
Start of Week	Monday-start week
Yearly Calendar	2025, 2026, 2027
Yearly Index	Book 1: Jan. - Dec. 2026 (4 pages) Book 2: Jul. 2026 - Jun. 2027 (4 pages)
Monthly Calendar	Book 1: Dec. 2025 - Jul. 2026 (16 pages) Book 2: Jun. 2026 - Jan. 2027 (16 pages)
Daily Pages	Book 1: Jan. 1 - Jun. 30, 2026 (187 pages) Book 2: Jul. 1 - Dec. 31, 2026 (190 pages) A page is included at the beginning of each month to help in planning ahead. All daily pages include daily quotes. Includes a mini monthly calendar at the bottom right of every two-page spread (Monday-start). Additionally, a blank two-page spread (three pages for Book 2) is featured at the beginning to provide a free area when starting out the book.
Daily Quotes	One per day (Japanese)
Weekly Pages	Book 1: Dec. 29, 2025 - Jul. 5, 2026 (54 pages) Book 2: Jun. 29, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 (54 pages)
Memo Pages	Book 1: 8 pages Book 2: 4 pages
Bonus Pages	Time Table / Graph Paper / Favorites / My 100 / Memories 2026 / 12 Switches to Help You Focus / For a Comfortable Night’s Sleep / Solar Terms / Emergency Preparedness / Gifts / Age Table / Conversion Chart / Getting the most of Hobonichi / Addresses / Personal Notes
Listed Information	Day of the year / Week of the year (listed on monthly calendars and weekly pages) / Old lunar calendar / Rokuyo (traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar) (listed on monthly calendars) / Solar terms / Japanese holidays / Moon phase (daily pages include every phase, monthly calendars and weekly pages only include full and new moon)
Other	See the Exploring Each Type page for more details

Book (Day-Free A5 size / Japanese / Monthly)

Size	A5 size H: 210 x W: 148 x T: 8 mm / H: 8.3" x W: 5.8" x T: 0.3" *Actual book size may vary slightly
Weight	Approx. 220 g
Language	Japanese
Pages	224 pages
Paper Type / Binding	Thin, light Tomoe River paper that is smooth to write on and designed for planners / Stitch-binding
Graph Paper Size	3.7 mm
Start of Week	Monday-start week
Yearly Calendar	2025, 2026, 2027
Yearly Index	Jan. - Dec. 2025 (4 pages)
Monthly Calendar	Dec. 2025 - Mar. 2027 (32 pages)
Daily Quotes	Included (Japanese)
Graph Paper	171 pages
Bonus Pages	Time Table / Graph Paper / Favorites / My 100 / Memories 2026 / 12 Switches to Help You Focus / For a Comfortable Night’s Sleep / Solar Terms / Emergency Preparedness / Gifts / Age Table / Conversion Chart / Getting the most of Hobonichi / Addresses / Personal Notes
Listed Information	Day of the year / Week of the year (listed on monthly calendars) / Old lunar calendar / Rokuyo (traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar) (listed on monthly calendars) / Solar terms / Japanese holidays / Moon phase (Full and new moon listed on monthly calendars)
Other	See the Exploring Each Type page for more details

User recommendations

If you’ve used any of these products, we welcome your notes on what you like about them or what led you to buy them so we can share it with customers who are currently considering these products. We’d also love to welcome comments from customers who purchased their techo outside the Hobonichi Store or received their book as a gift.

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Please Read Before You Buy

We’ve compiled a list of warnings, potential issues, and tips to keep in mind for this particular product. Additionally, the color of the product may be slightly different in actuality than compared to how it appeared on a computer or smartphone screen.

Cover may contain variations in stitching or loose lining: Due to the structure of the cover that opens flat 180 degrees, exterior stitching areas may appear puckered and lining material may be loose.

Pen holder fits pens up to 13.5 mm wide: The pen holder is designed to fit the 12.2 mm (0.48") diameter Jetstream pen offered as a free Hobonichi Store Exclusive Bonus. Pens with certain shapes and materials may be difficult to pull through the holder. The holder can fit pens up to 13.5 mm (0.53") in diameter.

Color and print may vary slightly: The cover's color and print pattern are created by dyeing or printing onto white fabric. While we take care to ensure consistency during production, slight variations in color or pattern may occur between individual items. This may also happen across a single cover, such as a pocket compared to the rest of the cover. Minor print blurring or uneven coloring may also be present. In addition, on rare occasions, there may be small black or white dots visible on the print. This is an unavoidable aspect of the manufacturing process.