Start a Beautiful ESL Journaling Routine with Japanese Stationery
- Rose Sensei
- Sep 29
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 6
Journaling as a Creative Hobby
Looking for a beautiful, relaxing way to practise English? Try journaling with Japanese stationery! Whether you write, doodle, or decorate with washi tapes, journaling is the perfect way to express yourself and learn new words every day.
In this post, we’ll explore how to start your own creative journaling routine using popular Japanese stationery like the Hobonichi Techo and Traveler’s Notebook.
You’ll also discover how to use café culture, cute packaging, and art supplies to make journaling more fun—and more useful for language learning!
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.These are items I love and recommend to make journaling extra fun.)
🌸 1. Why Japanese Stationery Is Perfect for Journaling
Japanese stationery is famous for its quality, design, and charm.
Two popular choices are:
🗓️ Hobonichi Techo – A daily planner with soft, smooth paper perfect for diary entries, gratitude lists, and a “word of the day.”
✈️ Traveler’s Notebook – A refillable journal you can customise with inserts: daily logs, travel notes, English goals, and more.
Start your journaling journey with the best tools!
🛒 Hobonichi Notebooks & Planners : https://amzn.to/4pG2Ydb
🛒 Traveler's Notebook Starter Kit & Stickers https://amzn.to/4npefwH
🎀 2. Decorate Your Pages: Washi Tape, Stickers & Japanese Packaging
Washi tapes and stickers make journaling exciting—even for beginners. Add colours, borders, or mood stickers to match your day.
🍭Don’t throw away Japanese candy or snack wrappers! They’re great for junk journaling—cut out cute text, barcodes, or illustrations and glue them in.
🛒 Washi tape sets https://amzn.to/4mCKxDq
🛒 Japanese sticker packs https://amzn.to/3VAI3dL
🎯 Language Tip: Describe the sticker or packaging in English.“This sticker is shiny and colourful. It shows a cat drinking tea.”
☕ 3. Café Journaling: Write While You Sip
Take your journal to a quiet café and describe the scene:
What are people wearing?
What did you order?
What’s the café like—cosy, modern, romantic?
Café Vocabulary: barista, latte art, soft lighting, relaxing music, chatter, corner seat
✏️ Journal Prompt: “Write about your dream café in 5 sentences.”
“My dream café is in Kyoto. It has wooden chairs, green tea, and a peaceful garden view...”
📚 4. Journaling to Learn English
Make journaling part of your English study routine.
Try:
Word of the Day: Write one new word and use it in a sentence.
Mini Diary Entries: Write 3–5 lines about your day.
Dialogue Practice: Imagine conversations and write them out.
Stickers as Prompts: Choose a sticker and write a short story about it.
🖨️ Download free: 10 Journaling Prompts for English Learners (PDF below 👇)
🎨 5. Art & Craft Journaling: Make It Yours
Creative journaling isn’t just writing—decorate with:
🌹🌸Pressed flowers
🌃Postcards and 🎟️ ticket stubs
💮Rubber stamps or ink art
🎨Simple watercolour or 👩🏻🎨brush pen drawings
🛒 Japanese stamp & ink: https://amzn.to/4pI0PNU
🛒 Tombow brush pens: https://amzn.to/48zmwcY
🛒 Hobonichi stencils: https://amzn.to/4gLg5pm
🛒 Mixed journaling kits: https://amzn.to/42g0pEF
✍🏻Add captions or short English phrases next to your art. Even simple labels like 🌅🏞️“sunset at the park” or 💭🚗“my dream trip” build vocabulary.
🎁 BONUS: Free Download
📩 10 Journaling Prompts to Learn English and Spark Creativity
Click below to download your free printable A4 sheet of prompts!
Use them in your Hobonichi or Traveler’s Notebook, or create your own DIY journal.
🔗10 Journaling Prompts 👉 https://tinyurl.com/mrxcjn7s
✍️ "Want to make your journaling time extra special? See my favourite stationery picks below.”
🛒 Build Your Dream Journal Kit (Amazon Finds)
Here are some favourites to get started:
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
🧁 Final Thoughts
Journaling for ESL is a wonderful way to slow down, reflect, and enjoy language learning. Whether you write one line a day or fill your pages with stickers and colour, your journal will become a personal treasure.
🎯TIP!
Check out the shopping site to pick up new words, like product names and descriptions, all while brushing up on your English skills.
🎁 A4 Download ⬇️
✏️ 10 Journaling Prompts for ESL:
What did you eat today? Describe it in 3 sentences.
Use a washi tape/sticker on your page. Write a short story inspired by it.
Write about your dream café. What’s on the menu? What does it look like?
Describe the weather today in 5 adjectives.
Write 3 sentences about something that made you smile today.
Write a mini diary in English: Morning, Afternoon, Evening.
Draw your outfit of the day and label it in English.
Use a new English word and write 2 example sentences.
Imagine you’re in Japan for a week. Write about one day of your trip.
Make a gratitude list: “Today, I’m thankful for…” (Write 5 things)
🧁 Final Thoughts
Journaling is a wonderful way to slow down, reflect, and enjoy language learning. Whether you write one line a day or fill your pages with stickers and colour, your journal will become a personal treasure.
📸 Tag your journal setup on Instagram using #MyESLJournal or comment below:“What’s your favourite journaling style—daily notes, café pages, or collage art?”
Need More Practice?
Check out Emma's Japan Travel Diaries for more travel journaling inspiration⬇️
🎥 Related Videos: YouTube Channel Playlist
🔗Japan Travel Diaries - Emma's English Journey https://tinyurl.com/4aj6vmhv
🔗ESL Listening Practice With Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/37rf8e23
🔗Learn Grammar Through Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/bvwvckfu
Related Posts:
🔗Check out the links below ⬇️
Thank you for reading & Happy Learning!
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