07/02/2026
PLANNER FROM KOKUYO
I stumbled upon the brilliant planners from Kokuyo in Japan quite by chance. Focusing on the essentials has a long tradition in Japan, and working with these wonderfully simple yet comprehensive planning tools helps me clear my mind.
I concentrated on two planners from Kokuyo's extensive range. The first is called Jibun Techo Biz and primarily works with the week, which is displayed on a double-page spread in portrait format.
This results in seven columns. And these columns cover all 24 hours, which is unusual. On the left-hand side, there's an eighth column with a to-do list, which I'll use for my planned goals, tasks, and contacts. This gives me an overview of the entire week.
In addition, there's a yearly planner and monthly planners, with boxes for the days and also another for the GATT planning system. There's much more, but now I'll move on to the second planner.
The second planner is no less impressive, but it works with the days. The timeline, again oriented vertically, also runs from 0:00 to 24:00 and is positioned in the center. This is brilliant, as it allows for a natural division of the day, for example, tasks on the left and appointments on the right. Or personal matters on the left and business on the right, priority 1 on the left and priority 2 and 3 on the right. There are many possibilities.
At the top, the current date is displayed, with the six previous days to the left and the 17 following days to the right. There's also a page before the start of each month for preparing for and later reflecting on the month. In addition, there's an annual overview and monthly plans with some lines below for the GATT system.
Personally, I find that the two planners complement each other perfectly, but of course, they can also be used separately – depending on whether you prefer to have a whole week or just two days on a double page.
PETER KOFMEHL
