PLOTTER as a Planner, Journal, and Notebook

Brass plate on the exterior of a building with the PLOTTER logo.

Over the course of this year, the PLOTTER USA staff have explored the concept of “System Techo” and have tried to dissect the different domains that make up “System Techo.” For reference, “System Techo” (システム手帳) translates to “system notebook” in Japanese, and it refers to a highly customizable, ring binder system that allows you to add, remove, and rearrange individual refills to create a personalized system. Unlike fixed-page or bound notebooks, system techo provides flexibility, allowing users to combine different types of refills like dated diary pages, project managers, and an assortment of paper refills, all within a single binder.

Open planner on a wooden table with handwritten notes, a black pen, and a smaller PLOTTER Leather Binder. The scene conveys organization and productivity.

PLOTTER Leather Binders are a form of system techo that truly embodies flexibility and customizability. You can arrange your PLOTTER in any way that fits your lifestyle and needs. Over the course of the year, we’ve explored how PLOTTER can be used as an all-in-one system that can be your planner, journal, or catch-all notebook.

Open planner with crossed-out dates, a black and gold pen, a camera, and a glass of coffee on a rustic wooden table, conveying a busy, creative atmosphere.

Using PLOTTER as a Planner

A weekly planner filled with handwritten notes in red ink sits open on a dark table. The planner is organized by day, conveying a busy schedule.

PLOTTER Leather Binders offer a versatile planning system that combines functionality with aesthetics. The ring system provides flexibility, allowing you to add, remove, and rearrange pages as your plans evolve.

A planner and an orange to-do list pad on a wooden desk. The planner contains handwritten tasks under "Me" and "Work" with checkmarks. Nearby are pens and a date stamp. The scene conveys organization and productivity.

With PLOTTER Diary Refills available in Monthly and Weekly Schedule layouts, you can easily track appointments and deadlines using the pre-dated format. Supplement your pages with the To-Do List Refills to help organize task management momentum as you check items off your list.

Open blue planner with handwritten notes, showing a weekly schedule. A globe is partially visible on the left, suggesting a workspace context.

Beyond traditional planning, PLOTTER enables customization through various refill options like the Blue Paper Refill and its 4-quadrant system. This refill is ideal for categorizing tasks and creating a personalized bullet journal-style spread.

Several open planners with various page layouts and colors are arranged on a dark wooden table. The scene conveys organization and productivity.

PLOTTER’s ability to incorporate different paper types and remove completed pages ensures your planner remains relevant and organized throughout your productivity journey.

Using PLOTTER as a Journal

PLOTTER offers a versatile journaling experience that combines flexibility with creativity. You can customize your journal with various refills (5mm Dot Grid, 6mm Ruled, 2mm Grid) to match your writing mood. There are many ways to journal, such as long-form reflection or creative memory-keeping.

Three open journals with handwritten entries sit on a rustic wooden table. Notes are written in black, blue, and orange. Pens rest beside each journal.

Beyond traditional journaling, PLOTTER accommodates diverse journaling styles through its adaptable design. Users can transform Weekly Schedule refills into concise daily journals or gratitude logs. You can also use different Refill Memo Pads layouts as a canvas for creative journaling with ephemera, stickers, and stationery.

Open travel journal with colorful stickers, stamps, and handwritten notes. Scissors, pen, and stamps are scattered on a light surface, conveying creativity.

Whether you’re documenting thoughts in pre-dated Diary refills or creating artistic journal spreads, PLOTTER serves as an analog space in a digital world, allowing users to document their journey in a deeply personal and tactile way.

A hand holding an open leather-bound journal on a wooden table. The left page has colorful doodles and handwritten notes about mood and gratitude. The right page shows a motivational quote written in red ink. A pen is placed at the journal's center.

PLOTTER as a Notebook and a Place for Your Thoughts

Open notebook on a brown table with a red pen. Pages show a mind map with red circles labeled "Work," "Friends," "Family," and "Design." Calm, organized vibe.

PLOTTER Leather Binders serve as the ideal canvas for your unfiltered thoughts and ideas. With its flexible ring system, you can dedicate sections to mind-mapping, brainstorming sessions, or simply capturing fleeting thoughts that might otherwise be lost. The various Refill Memo Pad options provide the foundation for different thinking styles. You can be as structured or as free-flowing as your creative process demands.

Open notebook with a silver pen on a wooden table. The page features a hand-drawn mind map with various interconnected words, conveying creativity.

What makes PLOTTER particularly valuable as a holder for your thoughts is its inherent modularity. Unlike bound notebooks, where messy pages remain forever, PLOTTER gives you permission to ideate without judgment, knowing you can remove pages that no longer serve you. Conversely, you can take particularly insightful pages and archive them in a Project Manager for future reference. This creates a dynamic space where messiness can be a part of the creative process, rather than a flaw.

Open notebook with handwritten "Goal Reflection," dated December, with lists of goals. Orange and white tones, warm lighting, black fountain pen on the side.

Behind the Scenes of PLOTTER TOKYO Flagship Store: Embracing a New Era

Beyond the leather binder system and its innovation in “System Techo”, the PLOTTER team has made its step towards another milestone: opening a Flagship store.

Entrance of the PLOTTER TOKYO flagship store.

PLOTTER TOKYO, nestled in Harajuku, Tokyo, embodies the concept of “Embrace,” or the coming together of contrasting elements. The PLOTTER TOKYO flagship store’s architecture itself reflects this philosophy, with a structure resembling two leather binders leaning into each other and featuring contrasting facades: textured (representing the past) and smooth (symbolizing the future).

Inside of PLOTTER TOKYO flagship store with shelves filled with PLOTTER products.

The theme of “Embrace” and contrast is similar to how leather meets brass in PLOTTER Leather Binders. This concept continues throughout the three-floor PLOTTER TOKYO flagship store. The space features thoughtful material juxtapositions: concrete against traditional washi paper ceilings, and leather countertops and railings contrasting other materials like brass, which will both transform and patina with use and time.

Inside of PLOTTER TOKYO flagship store with shelves filled with PLOTTER products.

Take a sneak peek of PLOTTER TOKYO in this exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to the PLOTTER TOKYO construction site and interview with Takayuki Saito, the director of PLOTTER, regarding the new flagship store.

Whether you use your PLOTTER as a planner, journal, or creative playground, its modular and flexible nature embodies the essence of “System Techo,” a personalized analog companion that evolves with your needs. From the craftsmanship of the leather binders to the thoughtful design of the PLOTTER TOKYO flagship store, PLOTTER continues to “embrace” new ideas and concepts so that its users can bring change and shape the future.


Draw Today, Shape Tomorrow

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