KOKUYO: My Favorite Petit Notebook That I Can't Let Go Of, From Japan

I have been using the same notebook, called Campus, for over 10 years. It’s A6-sized and fits perfectly in a clothes pocket. This notebook is made by KOKUYO, a Japanese stationery company.

I can't even count how many of these notebooks I’ve bought over the years. I first found it at a Seven-Eleven convenience store near my house. From the beginning, I’ve always been a "memo devil," constantly searching for the perfect notebook and pen that suit me.

Now, as a "memo devil," my ultimate standards are this notebook and a mechanical pencil with a 0.9mm lead. I love this thickness because the lead feels soft and smooth, making writing easy and comfortable.

KOKUYO, the company that makes the Campus notebook, was founded in 1905 during the Meiji period. The Campus brand itself was launched in 1975, and by 2014, an impressive 2.6 billion notebooks had been shipped worldwide.

My favorite version was released in 2012. Back then, it cost 105 yen. Unfortunately, the price has risen to 187 yen now. Even so, I have no plans to change my standard notebook—it’s simply irreplaceable for me.

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