Paper
Midori MD paper
A sewn block of writing paper in a plain wrapper. No cover, no elastic, no logo on the page, and almost no published specification either.
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Midori describes MD Paper as an original writing paper developed to resist bleeding and bleed-through and to pursue good writing feel. That is the maker's own description, and it is close to the whole of what Midori publishes about it.
No weight in grams per square meter, no coating description, no figure of any kind. For a site that ranks on published specifications, that is a real limitation and it belongs at the top of the page rather than buried.
Quick picks
Ranked for the beginner buying their first setup. Every pick names who it is wrong for.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No image Midori MD Notebook A5, blank A plain sewn notebook with no cover, no elastic and no branding on the page, made from paper developed specifically for fountain pens. | Writing on paper designed only for writing | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now. How this is funded |
| 2 | No image Life Noble Note A5, grid A quiet Japanese notebook with cream paper and a reputation among fountain pen users that its own listing never claims. | Japanese paper in a plain, serious book | Check price on Amazon #ad No live price right now. How this is funded |
1. Writing on paper designed only for writing
Midori MD Notebook A5, blank
A plain sewn notebook with no cover, no elastic and no branding on the page, made from paper developed specifically for fountain pens.
#ad No live price right now. How this is funded
MD is the most stripped-back good notebook on this page. No cover, no closure, no logo on the paper: a sewn block of writing paper and a paper wrapper.
It lies completely flat, which sounds trivial until you have fought a hardcover for the bottom two lines of a page.
The blank version is the one to buy if you draw as well as write. Midori sells lined and grid versions of the same paper.
| Paper | MD Paper, developed by the maker as a writing paper resistant to bleeding throughThe maker's own description.Source: Midori, MD Notebook (read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Size and ruling | A5, unruledSource: Midori MD Notebook A5, unruled (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Paper weight | Not published |
| Binding | Sewn, lies flatSource: Midori MD Notebook A5, unruled (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
What it does well
- Paper developed specifically for writing rather than for printing
- Lies genuinely flat
- No branding anywhere on the page
What it does not
- No weight published
- No cover at all — it needs one if you carry it
- Blank pages are hard work for list-makers
Skip this if you need lines or a cover — buy the ruled version and the MD cover, or buy something hardbound.
2. Japanese paper in a plain, serious book
Life Noble Note A5, grid
A quiet Japanese notebook with cream paper and a reputation among fountain pen users that its own listing never claims.
#ad No live price right now. How this is funded
Life publishes almost nothing about this notebook, which is itself informative: the company sells it on the writing rather than on the specification.
What its listing does say is that fountain pen ink does not bleed or bleed through on the paper used in the main range.
It is a plain object with a paper cover. If you want ribbon markers and an elastic band, this is not that.
| Format | A5, grid ruled (N33)Source: Life Noble Note A5, grid (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
|---|---|
| Paper weight | Not published |
| Also available | Ruled (N39) and plain (N36) in the same A5 formatSource: Life Noble Note A5, plain (retail listing, read 2026-09-01) |
| Numbered pages | Not published |
What it does well
- Well regarded Japanese writing paper
- Three rulings in the same format
- Understated to the point of invisible
What it does not
- Almost nothing is published about the paper
- Softcover with no protection
- Harder to find than the mainstream brands
Skip this if you need a published specification, or if you want a hardcover journal.
What you can verify
- It is sewn, and it lies genuinely flat — which sounds trivial until you have fought a hardcover for the bottom two lines of a page.
- It ships with a paper wrapper rather than a cover, so it needs one if you carry it.
- It is available blank, lined and grid ruled in the same paper.
- There is no branding printed on the page itself.
The design argument
MD is stripped back to the point of being a statement. There is no elastic, no ribbon, no pocket, no numbered pages and no cover. What is left is a block of writing paper and a place to write.
For some people that is the appeal and structure is clutter. For anyone who wants to find an entry again six months later, it is a missing feature, and a Leuchtturm or a Rhodia Goalbook is the better purchase.
The blank version and drawing
The unruled MD is the obvious sketchbook in this range: it lies flat, the paper is uncoated enough to take a light wash, and there is nothing printed to work around. If you draw as well as write, buy the blank — see pens for drawing for the pen and ink to pair with it.
Buying it honestly
We are recommending a notebook whose maker publishes no measurable specification, on the strength of the maker's own description and a strong published reputation. That is a weaker basis than we use elsewhere on this site, and it is stated here so you can weigh it yourself.
If you want a figure you can check before you spend money, buy Clairefontaine at a published 90 g/m2 instead.
Questions people actually ask
What is Midori MD paper?
A Japanese writing paper that Midori describes as developed specifically for writing and resistant to bleeding and bleed-through. The maker publishes no weight or coating specification for it.
What GSM is Midori MD paper?
Midori does not publish one. We record it as not published rather than repeat a figure from a review, which means this notebook is recommended on reputation and the maker's own description rather than on a checkable number.
Does the Midori MD notebook come with a cover?
No. It ships in a paper wrapper with no cover, elastic or ribbon. Midori sells covers separately, and the notebook needs one if you carry it in a bag.
Is Midori MD good for drawing?
The blank version is a good sketchbook: it lies flat, has no printed ruling to work around, and is uncoated enough to take a light wash. Pair it with a pigment ink if you plan to paint over the line.