The notebook has a black cover with the words DEATH NOTE written on the front. Inside are white ruled pages. Based on the side of the notebook that Ryuk wrote DEATH NOTE on, the notebook opens on the right side and apparently reads from left to right. The inside of the Death Note contains the basic rules of how to use it, which are written in English on the back of the notebooks front cover. These rules were added by Ryuk, and were not originally present inside the notebook when Sidoh owned it. Light later asks Ryuk to write two fake rules in the Death Note, which Ryuk adds to the inside back cover.