Basic Japanese stab binding

Japanese stab binding, or toji, is a family of bindings in which the textblock is stabbed through from front to back (rather than sewn through the fold) and tied with thread that runs over the spine edge. The most common form is yotsume toji — the four-hole stitch — which dates from the Heian period (794–1185 CE) and remains the standard for Japanese account books, address books, and paperback reprints.

Materials

| Item | Specification | Quantity | |---|---|---| | Paper | 100–120gsm | 30 loose sheets | | Cover card | 250gsm, two pieces cut to match textblock | 2 | | Waxed linen thread | 18/3 or 25/3 | 70cm | | Needle | Size 18 or 20 | 1 | | Awl | Any | 1 | | Bulldog clips | To hold the stack | 2 |

Steps

1. Jog the textblock flat and square on a hard surface; place a cover card on each face.
2. Clip the stack at the top and bottom with bulldog clips to prevent shift.
3. Mark four stations along the binding edge, 10mm in from the spine, spaced evenly from top to bottom.
4. Pierce through the full stack at all four stations with the awl.
5. Cut 70cm of thread, thread the needle, and start at station 2 from the back, leaving a 10cm tail.
6. Stitch around the spine at station 2, come back through the same hole.
7. Move to station 1 from the back, loop around the spine and the head of the book.
8. Return to station 2, then proceed to station 3, each time wrapping the spine edge.
9. At station 4, wrap both the spine and the tail edge, then return to station 3.
10. Return to station 2 and tie the working end to the 10cm tail with a square knot tucked between the cover and first page.

What to watch for

• Uneven station spacing is the most common beginner mistake. Use a ruler and mark with a pencil before piercing.
• If the spine stitches are uneven in tension, the book will curve. Pull each stitch firmly before moving to the next.
• Yotsume is not designed to open flat. Trying to force it flat will tear the pages at the stitch line.

FAQ

What is Japanese stab binding called in Japanese?

The family is toji. The most common four-hole version is yotsume toji. Other variants include asa-no-ha toji (hemp-leaf) and kikko toji (tortoise-shell).

Can a Japanese-stab book open flat?

No. The stitches run through the full stack close to the spine, so the book opens to about 120 degrees. For a lay-flat notebook, use Coptic binding instead.

How many pages can a Japanese-stab book hold?

Up to about 80 sheets (160 pages) before piercing becomes difficult. Above that, switch to a multi-signature binding.

What is the best thread for yotsume?

25/3 waxed linen in a colour that contrasts with the cover. The thicker ply shows the stitch pattern clearly.

Related: Japanese stab notebook kit, waxed linen thread 101, what you need to start book-binding.