Seven Seas "WRITER" A5 Journal Sanzen TRP 8th Edition

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Seven Seas "WRITER" A5 Journal Sanzen TRP 8th Edition

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Seven Seas
Seven Seas "WRITER" A5 Journal Sanzen TRP 8th Edition

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Tomoe River
Seven Seas "WRITER" A5 Journal Sanzen TRP 8th Edition

Price:

$28.00

Rating:

( 199 product reviews )

Shipping:

Calculated at checkout

Max Purchase:

12 unit(s)

This is the 8th edition Writer, with the Sanzen 52gsm cream Tomoe River paper. Please note that all review prior to 4/3/2025 are for earlier editions!

Thanks to its cult-like following, Tomoe River paper needs no introduction, so onward to the Seven Seas Writer!

We like to think of the Seven Seas Writer not as a great fountain pen notebook, but rather as a great notebook that just happens to be fountain-pen-friendly. Therefore, regardless of your chosen writing instrument, you will enjoy this notebook's substantial page count (480), pleasant heft, subtle printed lines, lay-flat capability and unassuming character.

The pages are "thread-bound", which is a very old and still the best production method of bookbinding. Thread-bound pages are sewn (with a special automated sewing machine) into signatures, which are gathered to form a text-block, which is then cased into a cover. This method allows the journal to lay flat with no stress to the spine, and for that reason it is the absolute best method for binding a book (including a library book) that sees the daily rigors of opening, closing and pressing down with the hands. It can even be folded back on itself. If you were to go on an around-the-world trip over the course of many months and needed to document your experiences in great detail, this journal would certainly be up to the task.

The paper size is A5 (148x210mm or 8.3x5.8 inches), and 15mm thick. The cover is made of impregnated cloth, stiffened through the use of a core board sandwiched between between it and the end sheets. You can use the book as-is, or put it inside a leather, cloth, paper, vinyl, fabric, etc. outer cover.

For more information, please read the Seven Seas Writer and Standard Notes and also the Seven Seas Tomoe River Journal Facts.

Tips:

The notebook will lay flatter if you bend it back on itself. Don't be afraid to do this - the binding is very strong. there is no way the pages can fall out by themselves.

If you use a fine-to-medium fountain pen, the ink will generally dry fast enough. If it doesn't, close the book on the included pink blotter sheet.

If you use a pencil, 2B and softer leads work well.

Pencil marks erase very cleanly from this paper. Use a high-quality plastic eraser.

If you find the book a bit thick for your writing style, please read this.

Recommended accessories:

Cheap Notebook Cover and Insert

MF Faux Leather A5 Notebook Cover with bookmark

Seven Seas + Gfeller Kip leather cover

Herz of Japan Italian leather covers

Super Clips and Mini Clips

Hard or soft writing mats - Order size A5; larger works well too

Blotter paper - Order size A5 (please note that the notebook already comes with one sheet)

Specifications:

Size A5, 210x148mm, 8.3x5.8 inches

Cream-color Tomoe River "Notebook" paper, 52gsm

480 pages (240 leaves) with rounded corners and 7mm lines

Lay-flat thread binding

Flexible, tough, thin water-resistant coated-fabric cover

Ivory-colored end sheets

Comes with one A5 blotter paper

Made in Japan

ABOUT MANUFACTURING VARIATION: We've found that Tomoe River paper, and thin paper in general, is unlike working with "regular" weight papers such as 20 lb bond, laid, wove, etc. papers (we have actually be unable to find any binders in the US that are willing to work with TR paper). Tomoe River paper is very sensitive to humidity, and when bound in a thick book by machine as ours are, some unexpected variations can occur. So far, we've experienced the following (also please see the pictures):

Rippled pages

A subtle "waviness" on the edge of the book block

Dog-eared pages (rare)

Except for a torn page, none of these issues affect the writing surface or quality of the writing experience, and it's not practical for us to go through each book page-by-page (these issues can be quite random). However, if for any reason you are not satisfied with the book you receive, please let us know (dave@nanamipaper.com) and we'll do our best to rectify the situation. Thank you for your understanding!

For more information and design goals, please read the Seven Seas Journal Fact Page.

If you'd like to compare this journal to the cost of other journals, please see our notebook value comparison table.

Did you know that Hemingway wrote with a pencil? We like to think that, had he known about the Seven Seas Writer, he would have used a fountain pen. Here's the full story.

Product Reviews

Previous | Showing reviews 191-199 of 199

Outstanding product & excellent customer service!

Posted by Jason on 15th Dec 2015

Tomoe River paper is thin and beautiful, and this journal is full of it! Comes in a slipcase, and the binding is super strong. Nicer than I expected. Customer service was outstanding with fast shipping too. I cannot recommend Nanami Paper highly enough!
Best notebook I have owned.

Posted by James on 21st Oct 2015

This is by far the highest quality notebook I have owned.

I have had a gradual progression in the quality of my writing tools and paper products throughout my life. I have grown to a point where I love writing with high quality fountain pens in high quality notebooks. I have tried many such pens and notebooks, some with more success than others.

This notebook is by far the finest I have found so far. The Tomoe River paper is exceptional. Even with very wet writing fountain pens, flex nibs, broad nibs, etc., the ink does not feather or bleed. I am amazed that such thin paper can handle the flow of some of the pens and inks I have used with it. I have not yet found a pen/ink combination that it cannot handle. There is mild show-through, but it is impossible to make a paper this thin that won't have some show-through.

The binding is perfect. I don't worry about bending the spine completely around. In fact I like to break them in by bending the spine completely back on itself multiple times at the point where each book of pages is sewn in. The only thing this does is make the notebook lay flatter and handle better.

I will certainly be purchasing these for as long as they are available, and I look forward to the evolution of products from Nanami Paper in the future.

In a world where handwriting and quality instruments to support it are fading, this notebook proves that some companies have not forgotten the beauty of tradition.
Beautiful

Posted by Warren on 9th Oct 2015

A pleasure to write on. Superb design.
Great as usual! Only one complaint.

Posted by Unknown on 18th Sep 2015

I like to write with Pelikan pen with a generous flow of ink. I also like journals with a lot of pages. This pretty much restricts me to seven seas journals. This is no hardship since they are really perfect: I won't sing the praises since they are clear from the other reviews. There is only one problem (two depending on how you look at it).

First: you cannot always buy them because the supply is limited.

Second: as now, you can buy the lined version, but I would prefer the blank journal.
Amazing paper quality

Posted by Cem on 18th Sep 2015

This is a very-well constructed journal that uses the excellent Tomoe River paper. Best for use with fountain pens.
Love It

Posted by Holly on 5th Sep 2015

The only bad thing to can say about this is the limited stock and that I didn't buy two. I really love the quality of these. Although the first page almost seems useless to me because it is very difficult to use. So I skipped it. Which I generally do anyway. I love the lines. Yup, I need lines or my writing is a wobbly mess. This is perfect. Perfect size for me too because it fits in my purse.
The best journal ever

Posted by Alex on 4th Sep 2015

First of all, it is Tomoe River paper, so the experience is unique, specially if you write with a fountain pen. The book is done perfectly, the book binding is flawless, the covers are durable and it lays flat when opened. I have bought a journal with Tomoe River paper from a different source, and well, it was done well but this journal is much better.
Fantastic paper, minimalist design, MANY pages.

Posted by J. Fuentes on 2nd Sep 2015

I love Tomoe River Paper and I have purchased in from a different online seller in the past. If you have only used copy paper before, it will strike you as nothing short of miraculous. I love that I can get it lined from Nanami, and I really, really like the no-frills construction of this notebook. Plus, it's got so many pages it should last a looong time. Finally, FAST shipping!
Tome River Paper Journal

Posted by Perry on 31st Aug 2015

This paper is fantastic. Handles any volume of ink including wide calligraphy nib without feathering or bleeding through. And extremely thin. Love it. All in a great high quality journal.

Previous | Showing reviews 191-199 of 199

Product Videos

Seven Seas Writer Review (06:59)

Seven Seas Writer notebook made with the amazing Tomoe River Paper. A5: 8.3 x 5.8 inches; 14.8 x 21 cm 480 Pages of 52 gsm paper; 7mm ruling Made in Japan Available at: http://www.nanamipaper.com/categories/seven-seas-tomoe-river-paper.html INSTAGRAM: http://www.instagram.com/thejournaljoy/ Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the product nor do I receive any compensation for this review/ providing a link to the website.