Listening to Yamadamatsu Suifu Gokuhin

One of prince Hikaru Genji's early lovers, Lady Hanachirusato would become his most trusted of wives, demonstrating poise, elegance, and matronly stability. A recurring character in the Heian classic the Tale of Genji (源氏物語 Genji Monogatari) written by Japanese noblewoman Lady Murasaki Shikibu in 1021, Hanachirusato would fill the role as the mother of Genji's eldest son Yuguri. Their connection is especially highlighted in the symbolism of the summer garden Genji created for Hanachirusato at his palatial Rokujo estate. Filled with the lush greens of bamboo and deep groves of citrus trees, the summer garden was designed to create shade and cool breezes, reflecting Genji's desire for Hanachirusato's comfort during the warm summer months. It is into such a green summer garden with its cool breezes that Yamadamatsu's Suifu Gokuhin seeks to take listeners.

Part of Yamadamastu's excellent High Grade line, Suifu Gokuhin is described as "building upon Suifu’s soft sweetness" by adding higher quality aloeswood and aromatics providing "richer depth, cool notes, and a lighter transparent fragrance." It's name gives hints of the fragrance to come. Suifu (翠風), made up of the kanji for "midori" (翠) and "kaze" (風), translated literally as green breeze. The combination of of these two character creates a word that describes a pleasant gentle breeze associated with the green of nature just as was found in Hanachirusato's summer garden.

Suifu Gokuhin's unlit warm brown stick is deliciously sharp and spicy. A light sweetness mingles with a subtle coolness, like that of a light breeze over a summer garden dappled with shade. Within the two, a 'green' presence akin to soft new wood presents a subtle sour sweetness. Combined together, they give Suifu Gokuhin a lightly sweet woody presentation with a tart green overtone.

Alight, Suifu Gokuhin begins with a burst of bitterness, earthy and rich like garden soil in its presentation. As the aloeswood at its base warms, a green fruity sourness rises that is quickly juxtaposed with a soft cool transparency, like an early morninf breeze through an orange grove. Notes of old leather, turpentine, and aged wood mingle in the background like an mature prince Genji undeclared among the shade of the summer garden's groves, his presence felt despite his remaining out of view. The spiciness found in the unlit stick layers another dimension while burning to Suifu Gokuhin, adding a sharp cinnamon like sweetness to its woody sour top notes, lightening the tang of its more tart qualities.

As the burn progresses, the various notes blend into a subtle combination, moderating the sour woody notes with fruity sweetness both lightened by Suifu Gokuin's coolness. Here Suifu Gokuhin's midori-kaze nature asserts itself, creating the qualities of a gentle cool breeze with a green woody sour tone reminding of cool shade of the summer garden's bamboo and citrus groves. Yet the notes and breeze are not separate, but one, light an airy creating a delicate transparency to Suifu Gokuhin that is refined and elegant. Drifting upon its coolness, the woody and sour notes weave in and out, dancing like swaying bamboo in the breeze.

There is a lightness to Suifu Gokuin that is both powerful and subtle, its fragrance refined and translucent yet confident and vibrant. Its coolness opens the fragrance, providing a spatial quality for its woody sour notes to drift within. Its spicy sweetness adds to its depth, giving its fruity sour tones a more rounded quality that lightens them, making them more elegant and approachable. The brightness of its fruity sourness is invigorating, yet transparent, like the feeling of receiving encouragement that revives the spirit. 

Once spent, Suifu Gokuhin's after-note quickly cools and its sweetness fades, leaving behind its fruity sourness to remind of its passing like the breeze from Lady Hanachirusato's summer garden. In time, it's woody notes fade, freeing its faint tartness to become lighter and more airy, like that of dried citrus petals on the wind. Overall, Suifu Gokuhin's afternote is lovely, light, and slightly fruity-sour.

Like the breezy shade of Lady Hanachirusato's summer garden, Yamadamatsu's Suifu Gokuhin is invigorating, transparent, and cool, with a light elegant tart sweetness perfect for the a relaxing summer afternoon.

In the shadow of pines
Deer escape summer's heat
White tails flashing at my announcement.

Suifu Gokuhin is available in the following size(s):

100-stick box

****