Japanese Planner Review: MARK'S EDiT (Semi-A5 Weekly + Notes)

Mark's EDiT Planner with pocket sleeve — Featured image of the MARK'S EDiT with pocket sleeve

Although I started in the world of Japanese planners with Hobonichis, I realized the way I journal has changed over the years. The Hobonichi Weeks’ layout is flexible, but I find the overall size and grid a bit too cramped. The Hobonichi A6 Daily is not something that appeals to me any more as I prefer a weekly layout now; and the A5 Cousin is too bulky to carry around and the vertical 24-hour layout hasn’t worked out for me.

Nolty planners, on the other hand, has been satisfying my needs in the last few years with considerably more layout options to choose from.

Saying Goodbye: Hobonichi and Nolty Planners

I enjoyed the Nolty 2281 thoroughly (you can read my review of the Nolty 2281 here), but I do have a few things I did not like about it:

Paper was a bit too yellow for my preference
Grid markings on weekly spread (3mm) is a bit too small for my handwriting
The left (narrow) column in the monthly view doesn’t allow for much use - too small for me to log anything reasonable
Having a monthly mini calendar on every weekly spread feels like a waste of space

Trying out MARK’s Planners and Diaries

A close-up of a notebook package with various labels. It includes details like "Edit New Life," "Made in Japan," size specifications, and "Made from Recycled PVC." The phrase "Enjoy your lifelogging" is displayed on a circular yellow sticker.

Close-up of a product label on a clear binder. The label includes text in both Japanese and English, indicating item details like "EDIT 2025" and a timeline from 2024.12 to 2025.12. A barcode and pricing information are visible.

Close-up of a metallic-silver zippered pouch on a speckled surface. The pouch features small, embossed text in its bottom right corner. The top edge has a black zipper extending along its length.

A close-up of a shiny brown file folder on a speckled countertop. The folder is corner-opened, showing its glossy texture. Shadows cast on the surface suggest overhead lighting. Text on the folder reads, — Gallery of packaging and PVC case of the Light Latte brown colourway.

After searching around for a similar layout to 2281 in the Japanese planner world, I found a relatively uncommon / not much documented (in English) layout by MARK’s. The model I bought for 2025 is called “EDiT planner 2025 - Schedule Book Starting December 2024 - Weekly Note Semi-A5 Stockage” with a Monday-start, “3-section vertical type” weekly layout. (Product code: 25WDR-ETH03).

I managed to find and decide this was the planner to get for next year just as I was heading to Osaka for a holiday (with the Asia Miles I’ve been earning)! I emailed Mark’s directly to see which branch of stationery shop like Loft or Hands would stock this particular model. A sales representative called Kurano San replied very swiftly (in English) about the only one(!) branch that stocked it in Osaka. I managed to buy it on the first day and there were only three in stock…

MARK’s EDiT: Content / Layout Showcase

A black binder with open pages displaying dark inserts. The cover is black, and the background is a patterned surface.

Open book on a speckled surface. Left page is black, and right page is white with the text "EDiT 2025" printed in the center.

An open planner on a gray-speckled surface displays calendar years 2024, 2025, and 2026. The left page shows 2025, while the right page has 2024 and 2026. The planner is ring-bound and has a glossy cover.

A planner lies open to a year plan for 2025, showing monthly calendars from January to December. Each month is neatly arranged with dates in a grid format. The planner features a grey speckled background.

Open planner showing a full yearly calendar for 2025. Each month from January to December is displayed in a grid format. The planner is laid on a gray speckled surface.

An open planner displaying partially filled pages labeled "Plan 2023" and "Review 2023." Sections for year vision, review, planning list, and topics are visible. The planner is on a gray speckled surface.

An open planner notebook showing a project timeline spread, with columns for project name, December, January, March, April, May, and June. The pages are blank, and the background is a speckled surface.

An open planner showing December 2024. The left page features a lined section for notes and to-do lists. The right page displays a monthly calendar grid for December. The planner is placed on a speckled surface.

An open planner showing the month of March 2016. The calendar includes days of the week, space for notes on the left, and highlighted Sundays in red. The planner rests on a speckled surface, and a website watermark is visible at the bottom.

An open planner displaying a weekly schedule from November 25 to December 1, 2024. The pages are blank, set on a speckled gray surface.

An open planner displaying a weekly calendar layout for the end of December 2024 and the beginning of January 2025. The dates shown are from December 29 to January 5, with spaces for notes at the bottom. The background is a speckled gray surface.

An open notebook with lined pages lies flat on a speckled gray surface. The binding is on the left, and the notebook appears unused. At the bottom center of the open pages is a faint watermark with text.

An open book displaying a list of international holidays for 2015, organized by country. The book rests on a gray marbled surface, with text detailing various holidays and their corresponding dates for regions including France, Germany, the UK, and the USA.

Open book showing a world time chart with a world map displaying various cities and their corresponding time zones. The page is set against a speckled surface background.

An open book displaying a detailed map of the Tokyo subway system. The map features various colored lines representing different train routes, station names in both Japanese and English, and a key for line identification at the bottom.

An open book displaying detailed subway maps for Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Kobe, and Amagasaki. The maps include various colored lines and station names in both Japanese and English, set against a speckled gray background.

An open notebook displaying detailed subway maps of Sapporo, Sendai, Yokohama, and Fukuoka on the left page. The right page has sections for name, phone, address, and email, with no entries.

An open planner lies on a textured surface. On the left page, there's a form titled "PERSONAL DATA" with fields for contact information. The right page is black and blank. The bottom reads ©2024 ecletricpassions.net.

An open, empty black album with transparent plastic pockets on a speckled surface. The album's spine is visible on the left, and a partially obscured web address is seen at the bottom. — All the layouts in the 2025 MARK's EDiT Semi-A5 Weekly Note Planner.

Deciding Factors

I feel other brands like Takahashi, Nolty, Midori, Hobonichi, and Kokuyo Jibun were more prominent while I was in Japanese shops that sold planners. But this did not put me off MARK’s as I really liked the layout offered, and the pocket built into the PVC cover. Having done some pen tests after opening it; I’m pleased to say also the paper quality is good enough for my fountain pen use. None of my pens, including an BB architect nib with Sailor Kiwa Guro, showed any signs of bleed-through or feathering. The Japanese paper is smooth to the touch and is thinner than their European counterparts as usual.

Compared Mark’s EDiT Planner Semi A5 Weekly Note vs Nolty 2281

Mark’s EDiT Planner Semi A5 Weekly Note	Nolty 2281
300 g with cover	250 g with cover
Semi-A5 (200 x 155 x 15 mm)	B6 (188 x 133 x 15 mm)
Weekly spread w/ half page daily columns split into three sections	Weekly spread w/ half page daily columns split into two sections
Whiter paper	Yellow tinged paper
Rows are 5 mm tall	Grid is 3mm
Monthly calendar represented as a timeline on the bottom of the weekly spreads	Monthly calendar on the left corner of weekly spreads

MARK’s EDiT: The Details

I bought a shitajiki (pencil board) to match the slightly off size A5 perfectly. I do love a dark-coloured shitajiki because it helps hide any show-through due to the thinness of the paper. There’s two included fabric bookmarks which I have reinforced at the bottom with some Elmer’s glue to prevent fraying. Lastly, I do love the timeline view of the month with the current week highlighted at the bottom of the weekly spreads. It’s nice to see it linearly.

A book with a cover showing a diagram of an open planner or notebook. The text is mostly in Japanese, detailing product features and dimensions. The background is a speckled gray surface, and a copyright notice is at the bottom.

A black EDiT notebook on a textured surface. The notebook has a white label with Japanese text, a small open book icon, and "A5" indicated. A ruler is printed on the left edge, and the word "TODAY" appears at the top right corner.

A grid-patterned notebook with a label featuring Japanese text and the word "EDiT" in English. The notebook is placed on a speckled surface.

An open planner displaying a weekly layout from March 3 to March 23, 2025, with blank spaces for notes. The pages are set on a speckled gray surface.

Close-up of a planner open to yearly calendars for 2024 and 2025 on a speckled gray surface. A tab labeled "Today" is visible in the upper right corner. The planner shows months with days of the week marked.

An open planner lies on a textured surface, showing the week of July 7 to July 13, 2025. The pages are blank with a black bookmark ribbon placed across them.

Open planner showing the end of December 2024 and the beginning of January. The calendar displays days and dates with a dotted space for notes. The planner is placed on a textured surface.

Secondary Notebooks / Planner in My Setup

Hands Gantt chart notebook

While I was at Hands (Shinsaibashi Parco Branch), I noticed they offered their own in-house Gantt Chart notebooks. I have always wanted to try tracking side projects with one and was seriously considering getting the Jibun Techo just because it offered it in the monthly pages. The notebook is very minimal and has a plain card type cover. The paper is quite yellow as you can see when compared to the MARK’s EDiT.

Japanese planner with a vertical schedule layout spanning from December 2024 to March 2026. It includes columns for daily entries and additional notes. The header displays "hands" branding and instructions in Japanese.

Back cover of a Japanese monthly planner, showing details like the price and contents in Japanese text. It includes logos for FSC certification and Save the Children Japan. Background is a gray, textured surface.

A blank white piece of paper is placed on a gray, speckled countertop. The paper has no visible markings or text.

An open blank card lies on a terrazzo countertop. The card is plain with a solid color, creating a simple and minimalist appearance.

Open notebook displaying a Gantt chart diary title page with the text "A6 Gantt Gantt Chart Diary 2021/12 - 2022/03" and "hands". The background shows a terrazzo-patterned surface.

A 2024-2026 yearly calendar spread open on a marble surface. The calendar displays months from January 2024 to December 2026 in a compact grid format.

An open planner displaying a monthly calendar view for December 2023. The layout includes numbered days in columns, with weekends in red. The planner rests on a textured gray surface, and a round object is partially visible on the left.

Open planner showing a March 2024 calendar spread with grid lines for each day. The days of the week are listed across the top, and the month and year are noted at the top left. A decorative object is partially visible on the left side.

An open notebook with grid paper is centered on a speckled surface. A black mug with a celestial design sits to the left of the notebook.

An open book showing a page with a table filled with numbers and years, against a gray textured surface. The right page is blank except for a partial circle.

A book opened to a page filled with various charts and graphs. The layout includes numbered sections, colored lines, and text in Japanese. The page appears to contain structured data or schedules.

An open planner displays a calendar for October 2025 on the left with vertical lines for daily tasks. On the right, a project timeline section features columns for project names and dates. A pen is placed between the pages.

Midori Flat Diary

The last planner in my 2025’s setup is the Midori Flat Diary. It has a really sturdy cover which I’ve retained for the last two years. The refill is very thin and has only a monthly view with nothing extra. I look forward to using the Hands Gantt Chart Notebook in conjunction with the Midori Flat Diary which I use exclusively for health tracking. The Hands Gantt Chart fits into the Midori Flat Diary hard cover so it makes it quite streamlined along with the MARK’s EDiT!