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Throughout history, the moon (tsuki, 月) has occupied a special place in the artistic and cultural lives of the Japanese. Gazing at the moon was a symbol of Buddhist enlightenment,and events centering on moon viewing were filled with cultural significance. Known as Tsukimi (月見), moon-viewing dates back over a thousand years to the Heian period. Ginkaku-ji, the famous Silver Pavillion of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490) was oriented to moonrise, and the later addition of the unique Kogetsudai (Moon-Viewing Mound) in Ginkaku-ji’s dry garden known as the “Sea of Silver Sand” reflects Yoshimasa’s lifelong devotion to Buddhism. The moon was frequently highlighted in poetry as an allusion to themes of beauty and impermanence as seen in this selection from the Kinkai Wakasu, a private collection of poems by Minamoto no Sanetomo (1192 - 1219), the third shogun of the Kamakura shogunate:
Beneath the tree’s blossom
have I lain down,
Spending night after night,
and upon my sleeve
is the moon accustomed to resting.
It is just such poetic allusion that is fragrantly on display in Shunkohdo's Shizuki.
Shizuki (Purple Moon) is described as a "cool and gentle fragrance" created from a moderately sweet sandalwood base highlighted with a blending of cool and refreshing aromatics. Clear and light like the moon on a crisp night, Shizuki is a lightly spicy sweet sandalwood with a delightful floral top note.
The soft purple of Shizuki's stick emphasizes its name, with a quiet almost fragrance free presentation unlit. There is a soft, nearly imperceptible sweetness with a fruity floral quality, but like the moon behind the clouds, unlit its fragrance is hidden.
The initial notes once lit show Shizuki to be soft, gentle, and feminine as a gentle perfumed note mingles with a light sweetness. There is something striking about the purple stick in the ash, giving the fragrance a perception of a "purple" note that is a mix of light floral sweetness and spicy tang. Mixing with this, a background resinous sandalwood tone acts as the stabilizing note binding the entire composition together.
As the burn progresses this resinous sandalwood note builds, creating a sharply sweet fragrance that switches places with the early soft floral as Shizuki's dominant note now interspersed with hints of sour tanginess. Yet the light floral sweetness never leaves, instead becoming an addition rounding off the sharper edges of Shizuki's acidic sandalwood tones. As the fragrance fills the space, it remains light, effervescent, and ethereal. Like the moon the the night sky, it is present yet distant, never overwhelming or demanding.
In time a unique fruity sourness develops in the space, yet always light and just out of reach. The overall impression feels comforting, yet brilliant; light yet uplifting. Shizuki's overriding characteristic is of a fragrance that fills its space, but like the light of the moon, remains soft, ethereal, and transparent. Shizuki is present but comfortably in the background like the moon's light dappled through the maple's branches gently illuminating the garden rocks beneath with its cool soft glow. There is something magical about Shizuki as it provides an almost trance like quality that is deeply relaxing.
Once consumed, Shizuki's after note continues with the light resinous sweetness of sandalwood experienced during the burn. Hints of floral continue as well, but now cooler and less pronounced. Over time as both fade, a fruity sourness remains in the space as the pleasant sharpness of the burn is blunted, hinting at Shizuki's full potential now past.
The Japanese art of incense often uses fragrance as a poetic allegory to deeper cultural traditions. In Shunkohdo Shizuki we are treated to a lightly tangy sandalwood with a delightful floral top note poetically calling to mind a purple moon on a cool evening.
Sharp air against my cheek
an owl's call breaks the stillness
of the moonlit snow.
Shunkohdo Shizuki is available in the following size:
250-stick box
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Learn about how poetic allegories to the moon were highlighted through fragrance in the book: The Fragrant Path: A Guide to the Japanese Art of Incense. Filled with practical suggestions, useful tips, and an exploration of the history, selection, use, and appreciation of this uniquely Japanese art form, The Fragrant Path offers a rare, comprehensive look into the Japanese art of incense in the first in-depth English-language book on the subject in nearly three decades.
