I recently purchased this notebook to see if Midori paper could hold a candle to my long-standing favorite “high performance” writing paper, Tomoe River. My search for a replacement paper has been exacerbated by Tomoe River’s vanishing availability, increasing price, and unclear future. After two months with Midori paper, has it lived up to the challenge? Find out below.
Basic Info:
- 88 Sheets / 176 Pages
- $12 / notebook (as of time of writing)
- Other formats: blank, grid, dot grid
- Includes 1 cloth ribbon (forest green)
- The “center line” of each page is bolded, dividing each page in half
Pros:
- (Relatively) Cheap
- Good selection of formats
- The bolded center line is a unique feature
- The paper exhibits virtually no bleed-through and little feathering
- Ghosting is present, but was never intrusive or distracting for me
Cons:
- To be frank, I just didn’t enjoy the paper that much. While it performs well in some ways, it seems to be coated (or is a much higher GSM than I’m used to). As a result, the paper tends to exacerbate issues with badly-performing pens, low-flow pens, and pens with especially thick ink.
Conclusion:
I only have one major complaint with this notebook. Unfortunately, that complaint is with the main function of the notebook: its paper. The notebook works “well enough” for what it is, and it pairs well with other pen types (especially felt-tip pens). With that said, the fact that I have access to a stockpile of Tomoe River notebooks means this product just can’t compete. Ultimately, despite the Midori’s best efforts, Tomoe River still reigns supreme as my “fountain pen friendly” paper of choice.
Check it out here.
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