Maruman Mnemosyne N195A: A5 Twin-Ring Notebook

Drawing of the Maruman Mnemosyne N195A to scale: a black A5 notebook 209 mm tall with twin-ring wire, closed and opened flat on white pages with 7 mm ruling, 24 lines and a bold line every 8 rows — The Mnemosyne N195A closed and open on its twin-ring wire (1 mm = 1 px).

Product facts

Product: Maruman Mnemosyne N195A Notebook, A5, 7 mm ruled, 80 sheets
Brand: Maruman
Brand origin: Japan
Made in: Japan^*
Material: White acid-free 80 g/m² paper; polypropylene (PP) covers; twin-ring wire
Price range: $$$5–20 per notebook

Notes on these facts

Made by Maruman Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: Maruman's Japanese product page for the N195A gives the country of manufacture (生産国) as Japan, and says the paper is Japanese-made (国産); retailer listings (Galen Leather, Goulet Pens, Goldspot) agree. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

Maruman lists 80 sheets (160 pages) of its own Japanese-made 80 g/m² writing paper; Galen Leather and Goulet Pens add that it is white and acid-free.
Each page has 24 lines at 7 mm spacing, with bold lines that split it into three blocks of 8 rows, per Maruman, Goulet Pens and Galen Leather.
Maruman's Japanese site gives the book as 210 × 161 × 10 mm and 250 g, with 210 × 148 mm sheets, at ¥792 (about US$5); Goulet lists 209 × 151 × 9.8 mm.
A 2015 Maruman press release put cumulative Mnemosyne sales at 3.8 million books at the line's 10th anniversary.
Maruman's Japanese product page gives Japan as the country of manufacture; Maruman was founded in Kanda, Tokyo, in 1920.

What is the Maruman Mnemosyne N195A?

The Mnemosyne N195A is Maruman’s A5 lined notebook: 80 white sheets on a twin-ring wire, inside a black plastic cover. It is the best-known book in Maruman’s Mnemosyne line, which Maruman’s 2015 press release calls a pioneer of business notebooks.

The name comes from Mnemosyne, the Greek goddess of memory. A Maruman press release for the line’s 10th anniversary campaign, which began April 1, 2015, said 3.8 million Mnemosyne books had been sold. That dates the line to about 2005; we did not find an official launch date.

Maruman Mnemosyne N195A specs

Spec	Value
Model	N195A
Size	A5: 210 × 161 × 10 mm (8.3 × 6.3 × 0.4 in) with the wire, per Maruman; 209 × 151 × 9.8 mm per Goulet
Sheet size	210 × 148 mm (A5), per Maruman
Weight	250 g (8.8 oz), per Maruman
Sheets	80 sheets (160 pages), per Maruman; one shop lists 70
Paper	White, acid-free, 80 gsm
Ruling	7 mm, 24 lines per page, bold line every 8 rows
Binding	Twin-ring (double wire), side bound
Cover	Black polypropylene (PP), front and back
Perforation	Micro-perforated sheets
JAN	4979093195022
List price (Japan)	¥792 (about US$5)
Made in	Japan (Maruman)
Price band	$$ ($5–20 per notebook)

Maruman’s Japanese product page, which names the ruling 特殊メモリ入7㎜罫 (“7 mm ruling with special scale marks”), gives the size, weight, 80 sheets of 80 g/m² writing paper, twin-wire binding, PP covers, perforations, price, JAN and origin. The line count and acid-free paper come from Galen Leather, Goulet Pens and Goldspot.

To-scale drawing of a 148 × 210 mm Mnemosyne N195A sheet with 24 ruled rows at 7 mm spacing, a bold line every 8 rows and the micro-perforation near the binding — One N195A sheet at 1 mm = 1.6 px: 24 rows, 7 mm apart, with a bold line every 8 rows.

How is the Mnemosyne page ruled?

Each page has 24 lines at 7 mm spacing, and bold lines split the page into three blocks of 8 rows. Maruman describes the ruling as bold lines that divide the page in three, scale marks along the top and bottom, and a large title and date area, and says the lines are printed light enough not to compete with your writing. Goulet Pens and Galen Leather give the 24-row count.

Maruman pitches the blocks at people with many meetings: one topic per block, or records in one block and notes in another. 7 mm sits close to US college rule (9/32 in, 7.1 mm), so it suits average handwriting.

Some shops also sell an 8 mm Mnemosyne version under a similar name. If line spacing matters, check the label before buying.

How big is the N195A, and do the pages tear out?

The book is A5, 210 × 161 × 10 mm including the wire, and every sheet is perforated near the wire. Those are Maruman’s figures from its Japanese site, which match Goldspot’s; Goulet Pens lists a slightly smaller 209 × 151 × 9.8 mm.

Maruman gives the sheet itself as 210 × 148 mm, a true A5 sheet, and Goldspot agrees. Maruman says the perforated sheets are made to be titled, torn out and filed. Maruman’s Japanese site lists the N195A at ¥792 (about US$5).

Is the Mnemosyne good for fountain pens?

It is a popular choice in fountain pen shops, but we haven’t tested it ourselves. Maruman says its Japanese-made 80 g/m² writing paper suits all writing tools, with a smooth but not slippery feel and almost no feathering or show-through. Goulet Pens, Galen Leather and Goldspot all stock it and call it fountain-pen friendly.

At 80 gsm, the paper is the same weight as many A5 notebooks such as the Leuchtturm1917 Medium. For heavier or more ink-tolerant paper, compare our best notebooks for fountain pens.

How does it compare to other A5 notebooks?

The Mnemosyne is a wire-bound working notebook, while most A5 rivals are sewn books meant to be kept whole.

	Mnemosyne N195A	Midori MD Notebook A5	Five Star 5 Subject
Size	A5, 210 × 161 mm	A5, 148 × 210 mm	Letter sheets, 8.5 × 11 in
Sheets	80	88	200
Paper	80 gsm, white	MD Paper, cream	College ruled
Binding	Twin-ring wire	Thread-bound	Spiral Lock wire
Tear-out pages	Yes	No	Yes

Choose the Mnemosyne if you want to fold the cover back, write on a lap and tear out clean pages. Choose a sewn book like the Midori if the notebook is an archive.

Where is the Maruman Mnemosyne made?

Maruman’s Japanese product page lists Japan as the country of manufacture for the N195A, and retailer listings agree. Maruman’s history page says the company was founded in Kanda, Tokyo, in 1920 and started out making sketchbooks for about 600 schools.

Frequently asked questions

How many pages does the Maruman Mnemosyne N195A have?

Maruman lists 80 sheets, or 160 pages, and most retailers agree. One shop, Hunter Paper Co., lists 70 sheets, which doesn't match Maruman's own figure.

What size is the Mnemosyne N195A?

It is an A5 notebook. Maruman's Japanese site gives the book as 210 × 161 × 10 mm including the wire, with 210 × 148 mm sheets; Goulet Pens lists 209 × 151 × 9.8 mm.

What is the line spacing in the Mnemosyne N195A?

The ruling is 7 mm, with 24 lines per page and a bolder line every 8 rows. Some shops also sell an 8 mm Mnemosyne version, so check the label if spacing matters.

Is Mnemosyne paper good for fountain pens?

Maruman says its 80 g/m² paper suits all writing tools, with almost no feathering or show-through, and fountain pen shops such as Goulet Pens and Galen Leather sell it. We have not tested it ourselves yet.

Do Mnemosyne pages tear out cleanly?

Yes, Maruman lists a tear-off perforation (切り取りミシン) on every sheet, and says you can write a title and file the sheets once removed. Maruman and Goldspot give the sheet as 210 × 148 mm (A5).

Does the Mnemosyne N195A lie flat?

Yes. It is twin-wire bound on the side, and a customer review on Goulet Pens says the binding lets it lie perfectly flat; like any wire-bound notebook, it can also fold back on itself.

Where is the Maruman Mnemosyne made?

In Japan: Maruman's Japanese product page lists Japan as the country of manufacture, and retailers agree. Maruman's history page says it was founded in Kanda, Tokyo, in 1920 and began by making sketchbooks for schools.

Sources (9)

Plain-text version for AI agents: maruman-mnemosyne-a5-notebook.md · Spotted an error? See how we check facts.