In 2025 I started to plan a whole lot more. I wanted to get my calendar out of the computer and onto paper. After looking at various layouts, I ended up with a 2025 Hobonichi Weeks after seeing it in person. I’ve never used a planner and I never used Hobonichi before 2025. When I got settled in, I started to notice that some inks would really bleed through, and the other side of the paper was really tough to use. I’m not going to re-hash the Hobonichi paper problems or anything like that since I really don’t have anything to compare to. Talking with other’s in the FP community they had mentioned that some bleed through happened in previous years. After using the Hobonichi the last 10 months, I had some thoughts and wasn’t sure if I was going to go the same route in 2026. Enter Wonderland 222. I pre-ordered their B6 unstacked weekly planner, knowing that they were moving away from TR paper, though they were not saying what they were going with. I decided to take a chance. Then I heard that Hobonichi worked with Tomoe River to improve the paper for 2026. So the stars aligned and I was able to see the 2026 Hobonichi’s in person, and I decided to take a chance.
The Inks
My problem inks ... well I shouldn’t say problem inks, because it wasn’t the inks. The inks that tended to bleed through in my 2025 Weeks (and mostly in the early pages and late pages) are these:
- Octopus Fluids Fairy
- Birmingham Intersteller Bronze
- F-C Olivae
- Birmingham Aquaduct
- Diamine Oxblood
The Tools
- Kemmy’s Labo Dip Pen
- Pilot Iro-utsushi
- Dominant Industry Ink Muddler
- Brass Kakimori nib in the Inkthrower
My Process
I really wanted to test the pages in each planner using the several tools above. I didn’t want to fill a pen with these inks, so I am using the Pilot and the Kemmy’s Labo to simulate the “pen experience” Actually I use the 365 day tracker in the back of the Weeks with a dip pen often.
The Results
Hobonichi
Both planners handled ink equally well. I would absolutely have no issues using either one of these planners for 2026. The paper in the Hobonichi is better than last years paper. Whatever Hobonichi did to work out the paper issues with Tomoe River worked. The paper is better than last years. The Hobonichi did a better job with bleed through, however, Octopus Fluids Fairy did bleed through in the writing and swatches. Not as bad as last year. Olivae had bleed through in the swatch from the ink muddler and in the writing. Honestly I don’t understand what is up with that ink, it’s a neat color and I like that color a lot, it just behaves weirdly on certain papers. Lastly, there was ever so slight bleed through with Aqueduct in the Hobonichi. Otherwise, the Hobonichi paper held up to the rest of the inks with no bleed through.
Front and back of 2026 Hobonichi Weeks - Octopus Fluids Fairy
Front and back of 2026 Hobonichi Weeks - Birmingham Intersteller Bronze
Front and back of 2026 Hobonichi Weeks - F-C Olivae
Front and back of 2026 Hobonichi Weeks - Birmingham Aquaduct
Front and back of 2026 Hobonichi Weeks - Diamine Oxblood
Wonderland222
In the Wonderland222 Octopus Fluids Fairy also has some bleed through, in the larger swatch from the ink muddler only. So that’s an improvement. To my eye, if I look reeeally close there is slight, ever so, with Aqueduct and Oxblood. This is not even noticeable unless looking up close. Olivae again is the weird ink out. There is bleed through slightly in the swatch from the ink muddler. Again, here I mean slight. However, the ink spread or feathered in the writing from all the the tools, except the Iro-Utsushi. The Wonderland222 paper also held up to the rest of the ink with no bleed through or other weirdness.
Front and back of 2026 Wonderland 222 - Octopus Fluids Fairy
Front and back of 2026 Wonderland 222 - Birmingham Intersteller Bronze
Front and back of 2026 Wonderland 222 - F-C Olivae
Front and back of 2026 Wonderland 222 - Birmingham Aquaduct
Front and back of 2026 Wonderland 222 - Diamine Oxblood
The Decision
I would be happy with either of these planners in 2026. It’s really nice to see Hobonichi did work with Tomoe River and the paper got much better from the 2025 version. While the paper in the Wonderland222 is undisclosed, it’s clear they put in time and effort to find a paper that is fountain pen friendly. So which am I going to use for 2026? I don’t know yet. Both of these are in hand. I’m really happy with how the ink held up on both of these papers. For me, it might come down to format. If someone is looking at either of these planners for 2026, I really think it will be up to personal preference. As both papers perform very well.
DISCLAIMER: Planners and inks were all purchased with my own dollars.