Located on the shores of Lake Biwa in Otsu northeast of Kyoto, Minorien is blessed with a rich tradition, history, and belief in the abundance of nature. Minorien strives to create all natural incense by combining the culture of "prayer" and "fragrance” through pure natural ingredients and fragrant woods. Minorien is renowned for the signature deep, rich, “wet” impression its incense provides, owing to the carefully selected fragrant woods it uses.
Nippon Kodo's devotion to making fine incense follows a long and honored tradition that started more than 400 years ago and can be traced back to Jyuemon Takai, better known as Koju, a skilled artisan in the art and the principal provider of precious rare and exquisite aromas to the Emperor of Japan and his Court.
Located in Sakai, one of the most storied ports for centuries at the center of Japan’s incense trade, Okuno Seimeido traces its origins to Japan’s Kyoho era (1716-1736). As a region where the world of Japanese craftsmen is concentrated, Sakai’s strengths lie in its enterprising spirit and generations of knowledge of the art of incense. Okuno Seimeido seeks to learn from the inherited traditions of the past, correctly convey these traditions to the next generation, and further innovate to create the fragrance culture of a new era.
Located in the Kanzaki District 50 miles northwest from Osaka, Seijudo are the bearers of incense culture cherished since ancient times. Founded in 1849 in Kamikawa, the picturesque valley is surrounded by mountains with the clear water of the Ochi River running through it. Originally formed as a raw incense material manufacturer using a water wheel to grind cedar into powder used as a popular raw material, Seijudo began manufacturing their own incense sticks in 1872.
Located on the northwest coast of Awaji Island, where incense sticks were first manufactured in Japan, Seikado is a member of the Awaji Island Koshi trade group comprised of fourteen kohshi (Incense Masters) of Awaji Island. Awaji Island incense is born from traditional incense manufacturing methods, strict quality management, and the skill and pride of each individual kohshi. This is the deep world of incense that simply can not be imitated by modern mass production methods. The Awaji Island Kohshi have maintained the quality of Awaji Island incense, which has been cherished throughout its long history and tradition. Seikado strives though its incense to express traditional Japanese fragrance that has been passed down to the present day.
Shoyeido incense is considered the highest quality, most natural incense available on Earth. In the early 18th century, Rokubei Moritsune Hata began incorporating incense-making techniques he learned as an employee of Kyoto's Imperial Palace. He would eventually introduce a new world of scent to an audience beyond the realm of royalty. Twelve generations later, the Hata family continue to create an amazing array of fragrances.
Located in Nagoya, Japan's third largest urban area, Shunkohdo was founded by Eijiro Ogawa. An apprentice to a Chinese herbal medicine wholesaler, Eijiro became independent as a Chinese herbal medicine business in 1925. Shunkodo specializes in high quality fragrant woods such as those featured in their Luxury Line of fragrances.
Located in Kurume City on the island of Kyushu, Tennendo can trace its founding back to the Genna Era in the year 1622. Tennendo has a long and distinguished reputation for making high quality unique fragrances from select Sandalwood, Aloeswood and natural ingredients. With a magnificently rich fragrance topped with citrus notes, Tennendo Frankincense, sourced under the exclusive permission of the sultanate of Oman, has earned renown for being the highest quality Frankincense incense available as close to premium Frankincense resin as possible.
Located just west of the Imperial Palace grounds in Kyoto, Yamadamatsu can trace its origins to 1790 during Japan’s Edo period. Focusing on passing down Japanese fragrance culture, Yamadamatsu has gained a well earned reputation for some of the highest quality incense in the Japanese Incense market, their superior selection of fine and rare fragrant woods and aromatic materials, and their unique and exceptional incense recipes, many of which handed down for generations still in production today.