Midori Hibino 2023 - A Thoughtful Daily Planner Review

Some planners make sense immediately. Others take time.

The Midori Hibino was one of the most talked-about planner releases of 2023—and for good reason. When it launched, it felt unexpected: compact in size, unusually thick, and clearly designed for people who wanted more than a simple daily schedule.

This is a planner that invites you to slow down and take up space on the page—something that becomes clearer the longer you use it.

First Impressions & Design

At first glance, the Hibino feels substantial—almost book-like. While its footprint is small, the planner is dense in hand, immediately setting it apart from slimmer daily planners.

Each day is given two facing pages, printed on cream Tomoe River paper with a subtle 2.5 mm grid. One page offers gentle structure for the day, while the facing page remains largely open—intentionally designed to accommodate notes, reflections, sketches, or overflow writing.

The planner also includes:

• Monthly calendar spreads (December 2022–January 2024)
• Future planning pages
• Daily reference elements such as weather, moon phase, and time tracking
• Two ribbon bookmarks
• Thread binding that allows the planner to open flat despite its thickness

On paper, the Hibino looks ambitious. In use, it feels surprisingly calm.

What It’s Like to Use Day to Day

The real strength of the Hibino isn’t novelty—it’s permission.

Permission to:

• Write more than you expected
• Let a single day take up real space
• Treat planning and journaling as complementary rather than separate

One page naturally becomes home to tasks and anchors. The facing page becomes space to think—sometimes neatly, sometimes not. Over time, this rhythm feels intuitive rather than excessive.

The small grid may look intimidating at first, but it fades quickly into the background. It supports structure without demanding precision, making it equally comfortable for minimal writing or fuller spreads.

Size, Thickness, and Cover Compatibility

For many planner users, the most natural comparison point is the Hobonichi A6 5‑Year Journal—not because the planners serve the same purpose, but because many people already own A6 covers and want to understand compatibility before buying.

Physically, the Hibino is noticeably thicker and chunkier than both the Hobonichi 5-Year and Midori’s own one-page-a-day planners. This matters less for writing comfort and more for cover planning.

That added thickness means:

• More room to write across two full pages each day
• Space to support longer notes and creative spreads
• A planner that feels solid and substantial in the hand

However—and this is important—the Hibino fills up quickly if you decorate, add stickers, or layer washi. Slim or snug-fit covers, especially leather covers designed tightly around A6 Hobonichi planners, may feel restrictive over time.

This isn’t a design flaw, but it does affect how you plan accessories. If cover compatibility is important to you, the Hibino’s thickness is something to factor in early—ideally before investing in a cover with little room to grow.

Who the Hibino Is (and Isn’t) For

The Hibino works especially well if:

• You journal daily and want planning and writing in one place
• You appreciate flexibility over rigid layouts
• You enjoy a planner that can hold a full year of real life

It may not be ideal if:

• You need a lightweight, highly portable planner
• You prefer tightly structured daily layouts
• You rely heavily on decorative layering within slim covers

The Hibino rewards consistency, but it doesn’t punish inconsistency. Sparse days and full days coexist without the planner feeling misused.

Final Thoughts

The Midori Hibino 2023 isn’t trying to be efficient. It’s trying to be capable.

Capable of holding long days, scattered thoughts, unfinished sentences, and occasional creativity—without asking you to optimize any of it.

If you’re looking for a daily planner that quietly makes space rather than pushes productivity, the Hibino is worth considering—not because it’s perfect, but because it adapts and then gets out of the way.