--- title: "Tsubame Fools Notebook A5: Paper, Ruling & Sheet Counts" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tsubame-fools-notebook-a5/" description: "Tsubame Fools University Notebook A5 explained: 148 × 210 mm, 30 sheets of 81.4 gsm Fools paper, 7 mm ruling with 24 lines, thread-bound under a cloth spine." category: "Notebooks" type: "Softcover notebook" published: 2026-10-20 updated: 2026-10-20 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 11 products: - name: "Tsubame Fools University Notebook A5, 7 mm ruled, 30 sheets (H30S)" brand: "Tsubame" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Card cover with cloth spine tape; thread-bound Fools paper (about 81.4 gsm)" price_band: "$ (under $5 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Tsubame Note Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)" model: "H30S" mpn: "H2001" gtin: "4968796112115" --- # Tsubame Fools Notebook A5: Paper, Ruling & Sheet Counts > The Tsubame Fools University Notebook A5 (H30S) is a thread-bound Japanese notebook from Tokyo's Tsubame Note. It measures 148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in) and holds 30 sheets (60 pages) of Tsubame's acid-free Fools paper, about 81.4 gsm, ruled at 7 mm with 24 lines, under a grey card cover with a black cloth spine. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tsubame-fools-notebook-a5/ - Category: Notebooks - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-20 - Updated: 2026-10-20 ![Drawing of the Tsubame Fools University Notebook A5 to scale: a grey card cover 210 mm tall and 148 mm wide with a printed border, a white label frame and a black cloth spine, and the notebook open flat on white pages ruled at 7 mm with thread stitches in the fold](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/tsubame-fools-notebook-a5-16x9.png) *The A5 Tsubame notebook closed and open, with the sewn fold magnified (1 mm = 1 px).* Original drawing (SVG): https://stationerytimes.com/images/tsubame-fools-notebook-a5-cover.svg. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Tsubame Fools University Notebook A5, 7 mm ruled, 30 sheets (H30S) | Tsubame (by Tsubame Note Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Japan | Card cover with cloth spine tape; thread-bound Fools paper (about 81.4 gsm) | – | $: under $5 per notebook | - Made in (Tsubame Fools University Notebook A5, 7 mm ruled, 30 sheets (H30S)): Japan. Per Pulp Addiction's listing for the 30-sheet A5 ruled notebook (Made in Japan) and Hunter Paper Co.'s listing for the 40-sheet A5 (Made in Japan). Tsubame Note is based in Asakusabashi, Tokyo. Source: https://pulpaddiction.com.au/products/tsubame-fools-university-notebook-a5-ruled ## Key takeaways - Tsubame lists the A5 H30S at 148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in) with 30 sheets, 7 mm A ruling and 24 lines a page. - JetPens lists the Fools paper at 81.4 gsm and calls it acid-free and fountain-pen friendly. - The same A5 notebook comes in 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100 sheets; Tsubame lists the 30-sheet book at ¥230 (about US$1.50) before tax. - Tsubame says the cover design has not changed since 1947, and that its Fools paper carries a watermark and no fluorescent dyes. - Pulp Addiction and Hunter Paper Co. list it as made in Japan; JetPens sells it for under $5, our $ band. ## What is the Tsubame Fools Notebook? **It's the classic notebook from Tsubame Note, a Tokyo maker, built around its own acid-free Fools paper.** The A5 University Notebook H30S is the slim 30-sheet version, ruled at 7 mm. The grey card cover has a printed border, a label frame and a black cloth spine. Tsubame says the cover design has stayed the same since 1947 (Showa 22). The H in H30S comes from the founder's given name, Hatsusaburo, and the number is the sheet count. ## Tsubame Fools Notebook A5 specs | Spec | A5 University Notebook H30S | |---|---| | Maker | Tsubame Note Co., Ltd., Asakusabashi, Tokyo | | Size | A5: 148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in) | | Sheets | 30 (60 pages) | | Ruling | A ruling, 7 mm, 24 lines | | Paper | Tsubame acid-free Fools paper, 81.4 gsm (JetPens) | | Binding | Thread-bound, cloth spine tape | | Cover | Grey card with printed border | | Codes | H30S, product number H2001; JAN 4968796112115 | | List price | ¥230 (about US$1.50) before tax | | Made in | Japan | Size, ruling, sheets, price and JAN are from Tsubame's Japanese product pages. Paper weight and cover colour are from JetPens; one JetPens listing gives the spacing as 7.5 mm. ## How many sheets and sizes are there? **The A5 University Notebook comes in six thicknesses: 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100 sheets, all with the same 7 mm A ruling.** Before tax, Tsubame lists them from ¥230 (about US$1.50) for the H30S up to ¥790 (about US$5) for the 100-sheet H100S; the table in the figure gives each price. The maker notes the H100S is about 5 mm shorter, 148 × 205 mm, and that only the 50- to 100-sheet books have a printed spine label. US shops mostly stock the 30-sheet A5; JetPens also sells a B5. ![To-scale drawing of a 148 mm wide A5 Tsubame page with 24 lines at 7 mm, beside bars for the six A5 University Notebook sheet counts, H30S to H100S, with their codes and list prices](https://stationerytimes.com/images/tsubame-fools-notebook-a5-ruling.svg) *The 7 mm, 24-line page, and the six A5 sheet counts Tsubame makes.* ## Is the Tsubame notebook good for fountain pens? **It has a long reputation as a fountain-pen paper, and JetPens sells it as fountain-pen friendly.** Tsubame says the paper resists feathering, uses no fluorescent dyes and carries a Fools watermark you can see against the light. At 81.4 gsm it's a little lighter than the LIFE Noble Note's 85 g/m². We haven't tested it ourselves, so treat show-through and dry time as open questions until we do. For a wider choice, see our [best notebooks for fountain pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-notebooks-for-fountain-pens/). ## How does it compare to other Japanese A5 notebooks? **It's the thinnest and cheapest of these A5 books, and the only one with a cloth spine.** | | Tsubame H30S | [LIFE Noble Note A5](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/life-noble-note-a5/) | [Midori MD Notebook A5](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/midori-md-notebook-a5/) | |---|---|---|---| | Size | 148 × 210 mm | 148 × 210 mm | 148 × 210 mm | | Pages | 60 | 200 | 176 | | Paper | 81.4 gsm, white | About 85 g/m², cream | 80–90 g/m² (retailers), cream | | Ruling | 7 mm | Plain, 8 mm, 5 mm grid | Plain, 7 mm, 5 mm grid | | Binding | Thread, cloth spine | Thread, cloth spine | Sewn, exposed spine | | Price band | $ | $$ | $$ | For a French staple-bound alternative at a similar thickness, see the [Clairefontaine 1951 notebook](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/clairefontaine-1951-staplebound-notebook/). ## Which Tsubame notebook should you choose? **Pick the 30-sheet H30S to try the paper cheaply, or a thicker book for a long project.** The sheet count is the only difference within the A5 University line. If you prefer warm-toned paper, JetPens sells a separate Fools Cream line, such as the A5 C2015 with 32 sheets ruled at 7 mm. ## Where is the Tsubame notebook made? **Retailers list it as made in Japan.** Pulp Addiction says so for the 30-sheet A5 and Hunter Paper Co. for the 40-sheet A5; Tsubame Note is based in Asakusabashi, Tokyo. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Fools paper in a Tsubame notebook? It's Tsubame's own acid-free writing paper, which the maker calls Tsubame neutral Fools paper. JetPens lists it at 81.4 gsm and describes it as fountain-pen friendly. ### How many pages are in a Tsubame A5 notebook? The A5 H30S has 30 sheets, or 60 pages. Tsubame also makes the same A5 notebook in 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100 sheets. ### What is the line spacing in a Tsubame notebook? Tsubame lists the A5 University Notebook with A ruling at 7 mm and 24 lines a page. One JetPens listing gives 7.5 mm; we use the maker's figure. ### Is the Tsubame notebook good for fountain pens? It's widely sold as fountain-pen friendly, and JetPens describes the paper that way. We haven't tested it ourselves yet. ### How much does a Tsubame A5 notebook cost? Tsubame lists the 30-sheet H30S at ¥230 (about US$1.50) before tax. JetPens sells it for under $5, which is our $ band. ### What is the difference between the Tsubame University Notebook and the Fools Cream Notebook? The University Notebook has white Fools paper under a grey card cover; JetPens sells a separate Fools Cream line, such as the A5 C2015 with 32 sheets at 7 mm, with cream paper. ### Does the Tsubame notebook lie flat? It is thread-bound through the fold, which lets it open wide. We haven't measured how flat it lies. ### Where are Tsubame notebooks made? In Japan, per Pulp Addiction and Hunter Paper Co. Tsubame Note is a Tokyo company based in Asakusabashi. ## Sources - [ツバメノート: 製品紹介 (A5 University Notebook lineup H30S–H100S, sizes, rulings, list prices, read in full)](https://www.tsubamenote.co.jp/product.html) - [ツバメノート: H30S H2001（30枚、A罫 7 mm × 24行、フールス紙、糸綴じ、JAN 4968796112115）](https://www.tsubamenote.co.jp/info/h2001info.html) - [ツバメノート: H40S H2002（40枚、A罫 7 mm × 24行、フールス紙、糸綴じ、JAN 4968796122114）](https://www.tsubamenote.co.jp/info/h2002info.html) - [ツバメノート: H80S H2005（80枚、A罫 7 mm × 24行、フールス紙、糸綴じ）](https://www.tsubamenote.co.jp/info/h2005info.html) - [ツバメノート株式会社: home page (cover design unchanged since 1947, Fools paper watermark, thread binding, address)](https://www.tsubamenote.co.jp/) - [JetPens: Tsubame Fools University Notebook, A5, Lined (H2001, 30 sheets, 81.4 gsm, grey card cover)](https://www.jetpens.com/Tsubame-Fools-University-Notebook-A5-Lined/pd/12562) - [JetPens: Tsubame Notebooks (grey cover with decorative border and black spine)](https://www.jetpens.com/Tsubame-Notebooks/ct/2141) - [JetPens: Tsubame Fools Cream Notebook, A5, Lined (C2015)](https://www.jetpens.com/Tsubame-Fools-Cream-Notebook-A5-Lined/pd/39800) - [Pulp Addiction: Tsubame Fools University Notebook, A5, Ruled (30 sheets, 81.4 gsm, thread-bound, made in Japan)](https://pulpaddiction.com.au/products/tsubame-fools-university-notebook-a5-ruled) - [Hunter Paper Co.: Tsubame A5 Notebook (7 mm, Fools paper, made in Japan)](https://hunterpaperco.com/products/tsubame-a5-notebook) - [Yoseka Stationery: Tsubame Fools University Notebook, H30S, Lined, A5](https://yosekastationery.com/products/tsubame-fools-university-notebook-h30s-a5)