I visited the Tobichi Store in Tokyo on September 1, 2025, to see what it was like on launch day of the next years planners. The shop opens at 11:00 AM regularly, so a friend and I decided to show up about thirty minutes before opening just in case there were lines. That was our first mistake.
The Tobichi Tokyo store, that carries the Hobonichi Life Book, is located in Chiyoda near Shinochanomizu Station (Google Map). It’s not a large shop, but it has a variety of planners and a ton of accessories. They also always have MOTHER goods on hand. As readers will know, Shigesato Itoi, the creator of the Mother video game series, also created the Hobonichi Planner and is the President/CEO/CCO/Founder, of Hobonichi Co Ltd.
I arrived at TOBICHI at about 10:40, in an attempt to be reasonable and not too early. When I rounded the corner there were at least 15 people outside, majority non-Japanese, waiting for the shop to open. An employee came out handing out water bottles. Considering that it was 10,000 degrees outside I gladly accepted. A kind customer asked if I already had a ticket. I did not. I looked over and saw another employee with a box and a placard with a QR code and bilingual instructions handing numbered entry tickets (整理券) to the folks waiting, explaining that they should check the Tobochi Shop Twitter (X) account to see when their number range is being allowed into the shop. My number was 200+. The shop opens at 11 and it was barely past 10:30 am! Had that many people already arrived??? Yes. Yes they had.
After coming to terms with the fact that I wasn’t going to be getting into the shop anytime soon I retreated to the AC lobby of Kanda Square to gather my thoughts and wipe my sweat. I could also have easily gone to one of numerous coffee shops in the area. Pro tip.
Curious as I was, I went back to check on the action at 11:05. They were calling number 53 at that time. Not bad right? 50 numbers in 5 minutes? The pace would not be maintained at that level.
At 11:15 they were still on number 70+ so I decided to bail and again seek refuge in Kanda Square. The crowd was more diverse now. I heard Singaporean accents, Korean speakers, the numbers of Japanese had increased, and a there was also a smattering of western-looking folks I couldn’t place. I wonder if its like this every year…
At 13:10 they were calling 210. IM TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR!!!!
I found it funny that they were only calling out the numbers in Japanese, but the crowd seemed to keep up and folks were helping out with translation. Yes, it’s Japan. But they could have done a white board and written the number down, or maybe an electric sign, or even just an old school pad of paper. I heard that the year prior they had no number system and just asked customers to wait outside, but not right outside the store, until there was enough space inside to accomodate more shoppers. I hear it was confusing.
I finally made it into the shop at around 13:30. By then I had gone out for lunch and lost half my bodyweight in sweat. The shop was crowded but orderly. There was no need to rush and grab items at that point, but I did see someone looking for the month tab stickers only to learn that they were sold out. I was easily able to grab my 2026 Hobonichi MOTHER Clay Figures model techo!
This photo was made possible by the nearly one-way traffic flow inside the shop. You could basically get in the long line to pay at the cashier, and shop your entire way up to the front.
I later checked the Tobichi X account and saw that they allowed anyone in who had a ticket just before 17:00. The shop closes at 19:00. Not horrible. I wonder how their inventory held up.
I’m a simple man. I just needed the 2026 techo and I’m so glad I got the MOTHER version. A friend went all in and bought tons of stickers and add-on page inserts and all klinds of stuff that I do not understand.
Loot! Book purchases came with a gatis pen and little robot paperweight.
Never looked into HOBONICHI? Check it out! There is a super active Reddit community. A lot of the customers clearly had planned their trip to Japan around the release of the 2026 techo. You should check it out too, might be fun!