Of late, a lot of people are falling in love with Studio Ghibli, myself included.
The whole Studio Ghibli AI fiasco brought more light to these movies.
People have realized that hustle culture can take you far for only so long before it leads to massive burnout.
I speak from experience of course.
I took a liking to slow-living last year and my whole life has changed after adopting a few tiny habits.
I talk about how to live like a Studio Ghibli character here.
I still maintain productivity but now, life has become so meaningful because I take time to pause.
I attend book clubs, I pet my dogs, and give them 100% attention.
I drink my chai while listening to birds chirp and watching the sunrise.
I read with meaning.
And when I work, I can do it happily – I look forward to every activity I now do.
Isn’t that what Studio Ghibli is all about?
There’s a certain kind of magic that lives quietly in the pages of Studio Ghibli films.
It’s in the rustle of leaves, the whistle of the wind through the trees, the soft clatter of teacups, and the slow, intentional lives the characters lead.
Whether it’s Sophie hanging up laundry in the sun or Kiki quietly baking bread in a seaside town, something is soothing about it all.
It kinda whispers: “You don’t have to rush.”
This is the essence of Cottagecore.
A return to softness, to slowness, to simple pleasures and self-made beauty.
So, here are 21 cottagecore hobbies for women who love Studio Ghibli. I’ve also included books that I’ve read that you might like.
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1. Foraging for Wildflowers and Herbs
Walking through a quiet forest trail with a small woven basket over your arm, stooping to gather wild mint or soft dandelion heads — it feels like something straight out of My Neighbor Totoro.
This may not be available to people who stay in cities like me, but I wanted to add this option because you can always get away to places with more nature.
Foraging invites you to pay close attention to your environment.
You start noticing how the air smells different in spring, or where mushrooms like to grow after rain.
It helps you feel rooted.
We have a city called Kodaikanal in South India – my partner, I and all our friends go there once a year to get away and just connect with nature. We forage, we trek and we slow down.
Whether you’re harvesting for teas, crafts, or the joy of discovery, it’s deeply grounding.
Try this book: The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants
2. Writing Letters or Penpalling
Remember the letters in From Up on Poppy Hill?
There’s something so tender and romantic about writing someone a heartfelt letter.
Picking out stationery, writing slowly, decorating the envelope with pressed flowers or doodles—this turns communication into art.
I’ve done this with my close friends and it’s so satiating.
You can join online penpal communities or even leave anonymous notes in library books.
It’s that quiet magic of sending thoughts into the world and trusting they’ll land softly.
Try this book to learn more: Snail Mail: Rediscovering the Art and Craft of Handmade Correspondence
3. Embroidery and Hand Sewing
Imagine sitting in a sunlit corner with a warm drink, slowly stitching flowers onto linen.
I picked this up from watching Instagram reels on how to darn clothes and I thought it was so pretty.
Embroidery is meditative.
It slows your hands and your thoughts.
You might stitch mushrooms, moons, or tiny soot sprites if you’re feeling whimsical.
It’s a way to add your own magic to plain things. Even visible mending (like patching jeans with flower shapes) brings new life to the old.
I picked up this book in an old library and it was very helpful!
Try this workbook: Embroidery: A Step-by-Step Guide to More than 200 Stitches
4. Making Herbal Tea Blends
Preparing your tea from scratch is something I recommend to most people when they’re trying to slow down.
You can dry mint from your garden, add a bit of lavender or orange peel, and suddenly your kitchen smells like peace.
Create sleepy blends for the night, focus blends for the morning, or Ghibli-themed teas named after characters.
It becomes a ritual, a way to pause and it’s so soothing.
Try this book: Herbal Tea Magic for the Modern Witch
If you’re not a tea person, pour yourself into coffee (pun intended).
I watched a friend grind his coffee beans from scratch and then make coffee. He took so much effort to create something that my partner and I could enjoy together.
He was talking about artisanal coffee and how much he treasures making coffee and it sounded so lovely just listening to someone talk about their passion and slowing down to craft something close to heart.
5. Nature Journaling
Because I enjoy drawing, I’ve started falling in love with simple sketching of birds.
I don’t know how to watercolor but I wanted to learn!
So, I purchased this beautiful course on watercoloring birds and I’m going through it now.
It’s such a meditative activity and it’s very calming to watch and draw nature in your book.
Start noticing the tiniest things: the curl of a leaf, a beetle on your windowsill, the way light falls on moss.
That’s what nature journaling teaches you.
You can sketch, write poetry, track the moon phases, or even collect petals between the pages.
It becomes a reflection of your inner world as much as the outer one.
Also, try this workbook: Keeping a Nature Journal, 3rd Edition: Deepen Your Connection with the Natural World
6. Baking From Scratch
Baking in a quiet kitchen, soft music playing, maybe rain outside your window — it feels like a scene from Kiki’s Delivery Service.
I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve watched this movie – it’s one of my favorites.
Baking from scratch genuinely brings you into the moment: measuring, mixing, and waiting.
You can try baking rustic loaves of bread, berry galettes, or matcha shortbread cookies inspired by Ghibli films.
It turns a regular morning into something sacred.
Share your bakes with neighbors, or just enjoy them slowly with tea.
I share them with friends for my Saturday/Sunday board game days.
Try this cookbook: The Cottagecore Baking Book: Nostalgic Recipes for the Modern Kitchen
7. Painting Landscapes or Botanicals
Whether it’s watercolor or gouache, painting soft fields, wildflowers, and cozy cabins allows you to see the world through a Ghibli lens.
This is similar to keeping a nature journal but it dives into painting more.
Try painting a scene from your window or recreate places you’ve only dreamed of — maybe a foggy hilltop that reminds you of Princess Mononoke‘s forest.
It’s okay if you’re a beginner.
The goal isn’t to be perfect, remember that, it’s presence.
You can also pick up this hobby and get started with learning.
Learning is the best part because you get to watch your progress every day.
Try this workbook: Everyday Watercolor Flowers: A Modern Guide to Painting Blooms, Leaves, and Stems Step by Step
8. Growing Houseplants or a Tiny Garden
Not everyone has a meadow, but everyone can grow something.
A little tomato plant in a pot, a windowsill full of basil and lavender, or even a terrarium with moss and fairy lights — these bring a bit of Totoro’s forest into your home.
I picked up gardening from my partner’s mum. She’s a beautiful woman who loves to care for plants and animals. She’s so wholesome and I love her so much.
Tending to plants daily reminds you to slow down.
Even if one wilts, there’s always another seed to plant.
Try this book: Indoor Kitchen Gardening: Turn Your Home Into a Year-round Vegetable Garden
9. Flower Pressing and Botanical Crafts
Omg, how lovely this sounds.
Collecting wildflowers or fallen petals and preserving them in books or frames turns something fleeting into forever. Y
ou can make bookmarks, decorate letters, or fill glass lockets with your pressed treasures. It’s such a lovely thing to do in spring or after a walk. This hobby is delicate and intentional, just like a moment in The Secret World of Arrietty.
Try this guide: Pressed Flower Art: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Learning the Craft
10. Reading Cozy Books
There are books that feel like Ghibli films in paper form: full of wonder, quiet strength, and forested dreams.
I’ve covered them in this post – I do love reading so I share books when I can.
Reading these stories helps you escape but also invites you to look at your real life a little differently — softer, more enchanted.
Keep a reading nook ready with fairy lights and tea.
11. Candle Making
Pouring wax, choosing scents, adding herbs and petals — this is a slow craft with a beautiful result.
You can make lavender candles for relaxing baths or cinnamon ones for autumn evenings.
It will make your home so cozy!
Plus, it’s a wonderful handmade gift, especially in a little glass jar with twine.
12. Stargazing and Moon Journaling
Take your blanket outside, lay on the grass, and just look up.
Tracking moon phases or journaling your night sky thoughts can be surprisingly magical.
You can even draw constellations or write down your dreams on full moon nights.
This is a beautiful journal: Moon Journal: Astrological Guidance, Affirmations, Rituals
13. Making Your Own Perfume or Botanical Oil
I picked this up from a friend.
I noticed he smelled nice so I asked him what perfume he was wearing and surprisingly, he’d made it himself!
It’s an at.
You can mix essential oils, dried flowers, and carrier oils to make your own dreamy scents.
You can create a signature blend that smells like your favorite Ghibli scene — maybe something earthy like Mononoke’s forest, or soft and floral like Howl’s garden.
This hobby is sensory, slow, and full of intention.
There are shops you can go to in case you want some help starting.
14. Knitting or Crocheting
Knitting slow loops of yarn into something beautiful is one of the coziest things you can do.
Make soft scarves, mug cozies, or plushies.
Try recreating the scarves worn by Ghibli characters or stitching little soot sprite patterns. It’s repetitive in a comforting way, like a heartbeat.
I started with a scarf and moved to a teacozy. I like making things you can use.
Try this cute book that just came out about knitting – it looks so good!
15. Making Fairy Gardens or Miniature Worlds
Create a tiny magical world in a glass bowl or corner of your garden.
Add moss, pebbles, tiny mushrooms, and maybe a little Totoro figurine.
It’s like building a portal to your own forest spirit realm.
Kids and adults alike love this, and it’s a way to make your dreams tangible.
Try this guide: Miniature Gardens: Design, Create and Control Your Own Magical World
16. Collecting and Reading Folktales
Folktales are where Studio Ghibli began.
The quiet power of old stories passed down through generations forms the backbone of many of the films we love.
Reading them by candlelight or in a cozy reading nook feels like opening a doorway to another world.
Look for tales from Japan, Scandinavia, or Eastern Europe — anything with forest spirits, clever foxes, or brave girls who outwit the dark.
This is one I recently picked up: Japanese Tales (Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library)
17. Making Potpourri or Scented Sachets
This is one of those soft, quiet crafts that feel like a love letter to your space.
Since my partner’s mum loves this, I picked up this habit too!
Gather dried rose petals, lavender buds, citrus peels, and spices, then blend them into little pouches of scent.
Tuck one into your pillowcase or dresser drawers. I even keep them in the bathroom!
The act of making them is so relaxing.
18. Learning the Ukulele or Kalimba
My partner is currently learning the Ukulele so I’m not taking credit for this. But watching him practice is quite sweet.
These tiny instruments are light, portable, and full of whimsy.
You don’t need to be a musical genius to start.
There are so many YouTube tutorials online!
Learn to play soft, simple tunes — lullabies, folk songs, or even your favorite Studio Ghibli soundtracks.
It’s like singing to yourself or the trees outside your window.
It brings joy, and isn’t that what slow living is about?
19. Making Scrapbooks or Memory Books
You don’t need to be some sort of expert to do this.
Fill pages with photos, handwritten notes, dried flowers, stickers, and quotes.
This isn’t about being neat — it’s about being real.
Memory books are like a diary with texture. Add movie ticket stubs, leaves from special walks, or little pressed flowers you picked during a picnic.
It’s a celebration of moments, Ghibli-style.
20. Learning Calligraphy or Decorative Lettering
Take your journaling, notes, and letters to the next level by learning how to write beautifully.
It’s slow work — tracing each letter, letting the ink flow.
You might end up labeling your spice jars or writing out your favorite Ghibli quotes.
It feels like art that lives in the margins.
Take this super cool online course.
21. Creating Ghibli-Inspired Bento Boxes
There’s nothing cuter or more delightfully detailed than a bento box inspired by My Neighbor Totoro or Spirited Away.
Think rice balls shaped like soot sprites, veggie dumplings in heart shapes, or little cut-out carrots that look like forest leaves.
I picked this up from Youtube and it’s such a lovely way to explore your love for food!
It’s cooking as an expression of joy and creativity. Even preparing one bento a week can turn an ordinary meal into a memory.
Try this book on how to make Yummy Kawaii Bento Boxes.
I hope you liked this post. If you’re looking for a better way to connect with yourself, here’s something you’ll like:
And here are a few posts you might like:
- 17 Journal Prompts for when you don’t know what you’re feeling
- 25 Studio Ghibli Quotes to Warm Your Heart
- How to Invest in Yourself as a Woman
- How to Live a Slow Cozy Anime Life
- 11 Books that Give Off Studio Ghibli Vibes
- 11 Habits of Deeply Unhappy People
- How to Change Your Life in the Next 30 Days
- 11 Ways to Get Through the “Nothing Feels Right” Phase
- 7 Ways to Stop Seeking Validation from Others
- 11 Tiny Signs that You’re Actually Destined for Greatness
