Tag: incense

Review – Nippon Kodo Incense Discovery

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Back when I had my little shopping trip to Wabi Sabi in Palm Springs, one of the treasures I brought home was this lovely set of five kayuragi incense fragrances from Nippon Kodo. It’s a great option for anyone who isn’t ready to commit to a larger box of one scent, and the beautiful packaging with ukiyo-e art makes it an excellent gift as well. These are traditional Japanese compressed incense with no wooden stick in the centre. Each small box comes with a little metal incense holder, but I have so many holders and beautiful little ceramic dishes that I didn’t feel the need to use them. But they’re handy for travel or gifting purposes!

I’ve been trying out the fragrances over the past couple of months, and have broken them all down and collected my thoughts for you.

Aloeswood

To me, this is the most classic-feeling. It has an almost dreamlike quality, heady but grounded. Something about it smells very “traditional”, like you might smell it in a temple or a minka, but not in a fussy or dated way. Just in a vital, historical, transportive way.

Green Tea

This one is so bright and fresh. It’s got notes of grassiness and an almost citrus-like property. It’s incredibly balancing and would make a great incense for the morning, or to help with focus while working. It’s definitely a light green tea scent, not an earthy matcha-type, and reminds me of a high-end spa. I really like it!

 

Osmanthus

I really enjoy smell of osmanthus, something that’s criminally under-represented in western fragrances but thankfully a staple of Asian scent profiles. This one captures the beautiful floral, slightly fruity aspects of osmanthus blossom without verging into cloying. I knew I’d like it, but I didn’t know I’d absolutely love it.

Sakura

As much as I love sakura for body and personal fragrance, and continue to hunt for the perfect one, it’s not my go-to for home or lifestyle type scents. That said, this one really surprised me. It’s definitely fresh, clean, and floral, but without any of the powdery or soapy quality sakura can often have. I can’t really describe it, other than a happy, upbeat sort of floral. If you need a mood booster, look no further!

 

Sandalwood

As someone who lives in North America, I’ve long associated the scent of sandalwood incense with head-shops and a certain sort of lifestyle. Nothing against that sort of lifestyle, but it’s not exactly a fragrance I find myself leaning into. I was apprehensive about these, but I’m so happy to report it was all for naught.  This is slightly spicy, slightly woody, and not remotely redolent of unwashed hair and the devil’s lettuce.

I still don’t think it will be my first choice, but it’s definitely a more elegant and elevated sandalwood than I was anticipating.

Overall, the aloeswood and osmanthus top my personal list but any of these would be a fantastic addition to a welcoming home. If you’re not ready to commit to a scent, or are just looking for a housewarming or hostess gift, this set is perfect for you. You can find Nippon Kodo on their own website, or on Amazon.

 I purchased this item myself and chose to review it.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.If you have a topically appropriate craft, product, or service you would like me to review, please contact me. 

Review – Hibi 10Minutes Aroma

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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.