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When did I last use a paper planner?

In the past, The Asahi Shimbun distributed “shain techo” (employee notebook/planner) pocket diaries to all employees at the end of the year.

I remember opening my new techo to a blank page and vowing to use it regularly—at least for a while, anyway. I would mark the dates of upcoming interviews, appointments and other plans, being mindful of keeping my handwriting neat and legible.

“Techorui Toshoshitsu” in Tokyo’s Yoyogi district is a small, library-like institution that keeps a collection of pocket planners and diaries with handwritten entries.

It is run by Masafumi Shirado, 45, a game programmer who became fascinated by people’s “personal records that were not intended to be shown to anyone.” Over time, Shirado purchased or received donations of about 2,000 such items.

I viewed a diary of a male company worker in his 50s. By coincidence, one entry, dated Dec. 26, 2003, was a Friday, just like this year.

“Received my salary today,” it went. “Repaid my loan of 50,000 yen, but on my way home I lost 25,000 yen playing pachinko. I’ll be in serious trouble unless I lie really low during the New Year’s holiday.”

And he scribbled in the margin over and over: “Got to be frugal, thrifty.”

But on Jan. 2, he confessed to what made me giggle: “Am I weak-willed? Had my annual gambling kickoff.”

Another man in his 60s asked himself on the last page of his planner, “Did this year go without incident, again?” This was written in red ink and straddled several days’ worth of space.

People make their resolutions, break them and then promise again to do better. This is all so human.

For many people, Dec. 26 must have been their last day of work this year. I wonder if they have successfully achieved what they wished for at the start of the year.

Alas, my wish was to be able to write a more worthwhile column. 

For now, I think I’ll start by buying a new paper diary or planner for the first time in quite a while and write down the same wish in super-big letters.

–The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 27

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.