The MD Notebook is a blank or lightly ruled notebook from MD PRODUCT, the brand that took over the former MD PAPER PRODUCTS line in January 2026. This page keeps the same URL and answers a narrower question: what the maker currently specifies, which ruling to choose, and which writing claims this site has not tested.
Prices below are the MD PRODUCT store list prices read on 2026-10-03. Retailers and later revisions can differ. Midori separately posted a price-revision notice on 2026-10-01; confirm the live product page before buying.
What the A5 notebook is
On the official A5 page, checked 2026-10-03, MD PRODUCT describes the MD Notebook as a minimal notebook for writing. The listed A5 specifications are:
- Size: H210 x W148 x D10 mm
- Pages: 176
- Paper: MD PAPER, 80 g/m2, used for the cover and pages
- Binding: thread-stitched, described by the maker as opening 180 degrees
- Outer wrap: glassine paper, which the maker says can stay on or come off
- Extras: bookmark string and index stickers
- Origin: made in Japan
- List price: ¥1,210 tax included
- Item codes: blank 15384006, lined 15385006, grid 15386006, dot grid 15387006
The maker also says the spine is fastened with cheesecloth and that the bookmark-string color varies by type. Those are design descriptions, not independent durability or comfort tests.
Source: MD Notebook A5, read 2026-10-03. Brand handoff: Midori notes that MD PAPER PRODUCTS became MD PRODUCT in January 2026.
Ruling checklist
The same A5 page lists four layouts. Choose by the structure you want on the page, not by an untested ink result.
| Layout | Official spacing | Maker’s stated use | Item code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blank | none | Free-form writing or a two-page spread used as one canvas | 15384006 |
| Lined | 7 mm, with a center line | Notes, a diary, or a simple schedule after you add dates | 15385006 |
| Grid | 5 mm squares, pale blue | Counting characters; the maker compares the gaps to manuscript paper | 15386006 |
| Dot grid | 5 mm | Text plus diagrams | 15387006 |
If you need dated pages, time blocks or a planner system, this notebook does not supply them. A separate MD Notebook Diary exists; it is a different product and is not specified here.
Standard paper or Cotton
Cotton is a different paper, not a refill of the standard notebook. On the Cotton A5 page, checked 2026-10-03:
- Layout: blank only
- Paper: MD PAPER Cotton, stated as 20% cotton pulp, 75 g/m2
- Color: described by the maker as a soft white from cotton, intended to let ink and colored-pen color stand out
- Size and pages: H210 x W148 x D10 mm, 176 pages
- Binding and wrap: thread-stitched, glassine wrap, bookmark string, index stickers
- Weight: about 240 g, versus about 258 g for the standard A5
- List price: ¥1,650 tax included
- Item code: 15392006
- Other size on that page: A5 Square, also blank
The maker’s comfort and color language is attributed above. This site has not run a pen, ink or show-through comparison, so it does not rank standard MD PAPER against Cotton, or either paper against other notebooks.
Source: MD Notebook Cotton A5, read 2026-10-03.
What this page does not claim
The previous version of this URL said the paper does not feather, is nearly perfect, is the best affordable match for wet nibs, and never fights back. None of those outcomes had a test protocol, pen sample, ink sample or photo. They are removed.
Also not established here:
- Fountain-pen, gel-pen or pencil performance, including feathering, bleed-through and dry time
- Whether a particular nib or ink is a good match
- Archival quality, coating, or how the paper compares with other brands
- Street prices outside the MD PRODUCT store list price on the checked date
Covers are sold separately. The A5 page mentions leather, paper and clear covers, but this guide does not price them.
Who it is conditionally for
Use the official specs as the decision boundary:
- Choose it if you want a Japanese-made, thread-bound notebook with a known page count and one of the four listed rulings, and you are comfortable checking the current list price.
- Choose blank if you do not want printed structure. Choose lined, grid or dot grid only for the spacing above.
- Consider Cotton only if you specifically want the blank cotton-pulp paper and accept the higher checked list price.
- Skip it if you need a planner, pockets, an elastic, or a writing-performance guarantee. Those are outside this product’s stated spec, or outside what this page has tested.
Related pages on this site cover other stationery decisions, not MD paper tests: Hobonichi Techo guide and Traveler’s Notebook system.
Sources checked
- MD PRODUCT, MD Notebook A5, https://md-product.com/en/products/md-notebook-a5, read 2026-10-03
- MD PRODUCT, MD Notebook Cotton A5, https://md-product.com/en/products/md-notebook-cotton-a5, read 2026-10-03
- Midori, brand note that MD PAPER PRODUCTS became MD PRODUCT in January 2026, https://www.midori-japan.co.jp/, read 2026-10-03
Reviews
MD Notebook A5 (blank, lined, grid or dot grid)
¥1,210 tax included, MD PRODUCT store, checked 2026-10-03
Buy on AmazonReviews
MD Notebook Cotton A5 (blank)
¥1,650 tax included, MD PRODUCT store, checked 2026-10-03
Buy on Amazon