Listening to Shunkohdo Shunkosen

Sandalwood has been used for over two millennia in Buddhist practice. Part of mitsu-gusoku (三具足), the three great offerings of incense, flowers, and light present at Buddhist rituals and altars, sandalwood was an important part of the Buddhist ceremonies imported to Japan from China over 1,500 years ago. Sandalwood was used in Buddhist ceremony as shōkō, granulated incense burned directly on coals. Ground to powder, it was a key ingredient in takimonō, the kneaded fermented incense of the Heian court, used alongside frankincense, benzoin, clove, spikenard, seashell, musk, and others. The black ships of the Portuguese carried tons sandalwood when they linked Portuguese Goa in India with Nagasaki in their monopolization of the Japanese trade in the 1500s. Although aloeswood is often most closely associated with the Japanese art of incense, its Buddhist roots have long included the use of sandalwood for is purification and honest fragrance. Linked to spiritual purity, sandalwood's role in purification of Buddhist rites and ceremony implies the honesty that develops through spiritual growth. It is this honesty of fragrance that Shunkohdo Shunkosen seeks to highlight with its Indian Sandalwood-based blend.

Shunkosen is part of Shunkohdo's Luxury Incense Series that features the highest quality woods and traditional aromatics each exquisitely blended and themed to Japanese traditions. Described as "soft and addictive," Shunkohsen blends Indian Sandalwood and aromatic spices to create a fragrance that is honest and friendly. Passive rather than active, Shunkosen promises to be a sandalwood stick that is reserved and sincere.

Shunkosen's grass green stick is soft and light, with a hint of sweetness. Unlit, its spices are reserved and barely noticeable; quiet like the early morning before the dawn just as the birds break into song. Extremely subtle hints of cinnamon and caramel hide behind the stick's greenness giving it a sense of purity. Honestly, it seems, is largely mute at this stage in an incense meant to be burned, illustrating Shunkosen's humility.

Alight Shukosen's Indian Sandalwood springs to life, with mellow sweet sandalwood tones that are warm and bright. As its aromatics warm to the join the sandalwood, a crisp cleanness rounds out the mellow sweetness, giving the fragrance a lightness that allows it to float just at the edge of the senses. There is a subtle sourness that peeks through the warmth as well, giving Shunkosen's sandalwood tone a interesting depth, like the playful nature of a wizened old monk sneaking a wink at passers by.

As the stick warms, the Indian sandalwood at its base becomes more prominent, with a lightly resinous note that is warm yet reserved. Although there are hints of cream, the sweetness found during the burn is a dry one, like a fine wine rather than a confection. Combined with the other aromatics in the mix, a lightly resinous dry sweetness develops that is subtle and unobtrusive. Shunkosen's aromatics add to this a warm clean perfume top note, blending subtle tones of turpentine, soapstone, and caramel off in the distance, providing a slightly modern feel. This note fills the background however, in service to the more prominent subtle dry sweetness of its sandalwood base, lending only clarity and direction.

Despite its subtle mellow nature, this is a woody incense, with all aromatics existing in supporting roles of its Indian sandalwood's dry sweetness. Unlike other sandalwood incenses that are sharply resinous, Shunkosen's dry sweet resinous notes are transparent and light. This is not a fragrance intended to dominate a space, but one content to fill it gently, in hints and whispers. Shunkosen tones are soft, yet firm as it seeks clarity and honesty in its fragrant introspection. Although its dry sweetness tinged with traces of sourness remain throughout, they are content to humbly just be with no need for attention. 

Once consumed, Shunkosen's warmth quickly fades allowing the resinous tones to linger with greater clarity. In the afterglow this note takes on a sweeter resinous quality with the hints of cinnamon, turpentine, and caramel seen in the burn rising subtly in awareness. A powdery quality also develops with a rich dry sweetness like that of a fine cabinet maker's workroom. Yet just as with the burn, Shunkosen's afternote is subtle, fading into the background effortlessly.

Mellow, gentle, and modest, Shunkohsen is soft sandalwood fragrance with a light dry resinous sweetness and transparent nature perfect for smaller spaces and honest introspection.

Breath in,
Summer gives way to Autumn.
Breath out, peace.

Shunkohdo Shunkosen is available in the following size:
170-stick box

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