> For those asking "why handwriting in 2024?", the paper has no notifications or web browser to distract you. It's just your own thoughts on the page.
Unfortunately, many (MANY) people have terrible (unpracticed) handwriting and view the activity as a means to an end rather than something worth doing for fun.
Everyone comments on how good my handwriting is. In response, I usually say that I "stole" someone's handwriting back in the 5th grade. The truth is that I really liked their handwriting and copied theirs over and over until I matched (and eventually exceeded) theirs years later. Same with cursive (which I can still write).
Conversely, most folks do handwriting drills in kindergarten/1st grade (US) and stop there.
I think everyone can learn how to write well, but it requires a ton of practice. Given that everything is done digitally these days, many would rather just type it out.
There have been various attempts to modernize pen and a notebook. I'm rather happy with my Remarkable2 (no affiliation), because it lacks the features of an iPad/tablet, because, as you say, it has less distractions so you can focus more on writing and creating. My favorite part is that, while pencil input is foremost, it also has a keyboard, because I can type that much faster than I can write.
I find Jetstream ink to be the nicest for everyday writing. Like gel ink, it's very low-drag (so your hand doesn't fatigue), but unlike gel ink, it doesn't smear on your hand, and is waterproof. These days I use a SXE3-507, with multiple colors for annotating previous writing (or marking up a book).
I use Kokuyo Soft Ring notebooks with dotted rule pages. It looks like regular lined paper, but the lines have subtle dots that you can use like graph paper, so it's easy to make diagrams and tables.
When I fill up a notebook, I scan it. This way I only need to carry one notebook around, but all my old notebooks are accessible digitally.
If you get the chance, visit a Mai Do (in SF, San Jose, and Costa Mesa). There's no substitute for trying out everything Japan has to offer.