Today I bring you another wonderful little lifestyle product from Japan, to help transport you to a more relaxed and beautiful world, even if it’s only for ten minutes. This odd liminal time of year can be very stressful, and we’re all looking for ways to start the new year with new habits and new routines. Hibi 10Minutes Aroma can help with that, all while bringing the gentle scents of Japan directly to your home.
These are a fascinating little product. They may look like standard strike-anywhere matches, but the entire stick is made of tightly compressed incense. You light the head and let it burn down to ash, getting ten minutes of a transportive fragrance that surrounds you.
I chose one of their sample packs, to get a variety of scents before committing to a volume of one or two without knowing what they smelled like. I am glad I did, because the variety here was absolutely lovely. There were some bright, fresh scents like yuzu or lemongrass, some gentle florals like the ylang-ylang, and some deeper woody notes like the sandalwood. I’d highly recommend snagging this pack as well before getting locked into one of the larger 30-stick packs.
The fragrances I have tried so far (lemongrass, yuzu, lavender, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang) have all been absolutely lovely. The main notes are clear and present, but surrounded with a typical sort of “oriental note” familiar incense smell that prevents them from reading as too perfumed or fussy. They’re all very natural and subtle, and don’t spread far so if you live in a home with people who are sensitive to fragrance or don’t enjoy the notes listed, simply closing a door or opening a window for a fresh breeze will likely be enough so that the smell does not bother them. However, I cannot speak to allergies or medical sensitivities, so please keep that in mind.
The packaging on these is very thoughtful as well. It’s sleek and minimal, which makes it excellent to throw into a travel bag or hand out as a small hostess or thank-you gift. The sampler comes with a burn-proof mat you can rest your Hibi match on as it burns. I have used mine multiple times and it’s still absolutely solid and safe. However, you can also put them into any ceramic or burn-proof dish or carefully wiggle them into a small incense holder. Mine are meant for thinner sticks but with some gentle persuasion they can be slotted into the largest opening on most holders. However, they are fragile (more on that below) so you need to be cautious.
Because these are set to a standard timeframe of ten minutes, they’re an excellent way to take a quick focus or meditative break. They remind me somewhat of an antiquated method of time-keeping, relying on incense clocks. I burnt one at a time on several of my lunch breaks during the particularly hectic holiday rush, and it was a lovely way to both escape and ground myself for the afternoon rush.
As I mentioned earlier, the only negative I can find about Hibi 10Minutes Aroma is that since the entire stick is incense, it is a bit more fragile than a regular match would be. If you strike them too hard there is a chance of them snapping. Personally, I find it easier to light the “match” head with an external source like a long-handled candle lighter but if you find yourself without one you can definitely make them work just by being gentle.
You can find Hibi 10Minutes Aroma on their own website, as well as at many smaller local specialty retailers, especially Japanese lifestyle stores or fine home goods shops. If these options are not accessible for you, they are also available on Amazon.
I purchased this item at a discounted price for honest review purposes. If you have a topically appropriate craft, product, or service you would like me to review, please contact me.This post contains affiliate link(s). If you choose to purchase, I receive a small rebate or commission which goes to the continued maintenance of this site.
Bebe Taian
CHOKO Blog
Gion Kobu