Things I didn't try early on: Collecting pottery

I am convinced that Japan has brought out my love for "granny hobbies", including things like appreciating flowers and getting into various handicrafts. I actually love that, though, as it feels like a bit of a simpler life than the one I had in my home country. One big granny hobby that I have grown to love here is collecting pottery pieces, and learning more about historic pottery areas of the country.

A pottery studio I visited in Arita, Saga

One thing I love about collecting pottery is that you don't need museum-level money to start. The pricing is pretty accessible, especially if you buy locally or at pottery towns and festivals. Each piece also tells a story! There are so many different styles, glazes, colors, and so forth, depending on what kind of pottery you get and from what region. If you're a history buff, it's also like you get a piece of living history that you can actually use on a day-to-day basis.