Incense Safety Precautions
By following some simple common-sense precautions, Japanese incense can be enjoyed safely and without worry. The following is not an exhaustive list, but it provides basic precautions to keep in mind whenever incense is used.
Always be aware that burning incense poses a fire hazard.
- This sounds obvious, but it is easy to forget that incense is burning, because there is no conspicuous flame. Both the burning incense and the ash present fire hazards.
- Be careful not to touch the lit end of the incense! This can cause burns and be quite painful.
- Brushing up against or touching burning incense can start a fire, cause burns, ruin clothing, or discolor furniture. Always be careful around burning incense.
Once lit, never leave incense unattended.
- Burning incense is a fire hazard and should be regularly monitored.
- Lighting incense and then going to sleep is dangerous and should be avoided.
- Incense should always be used with an appropriate incense holder or burner.
- Use only those holders and burners that are designed to safely hold burning incense.
- When using a simple holder, be sure to use a ceramic dish or plate under the holder to catch the ash produced.
- Ensure that the ash is caught by the burner or plate, because it is often hot enough to discolor furniture or create a risk of fire.
Be aware of the placement of burning incense.
- Always make sure the incense burner/holder is placed on a stable surface, out of the flow of traffic, and away from flammable objects.
- Keep burning incense away from places where children or pets might encounter it.
- Keep lit incense away from where a breeze might blow a curtain into contact with it or knock over a lit stick.
- When burning multiple sticks at one time, take extra caution.
- Multiple sticks require extra vigilance, because a common cause of fire is one stick accidentally lighting another in the middle, which then burns through and falls outside the holder/burner with its tip still lit.
- Ensure that ash from one stick will not fall onto another.
Be sure to burn incense in spaces that are well ventilated.
- Burning any incense produces smoke, even in reduced-smoke varieties.
- Always ensure adequate ventilation and a source of fresh air, such as a window kept slightly open.
Do not intentionally breathe in incense smoke.
- The incense smoke is not the incense fragrance. The fragrance from incense is produced just below the smoldering tip where the aromatic incense ingredients are heated, not from the smoke the smoldering tip produces.
- Smoke is a byproduct of burning incense and contains particulates that are potential health hazards.
- Avoid placing incense near anyone or intentionally exposing anyone to its smoke.
- Incense (even a reduced-smoke variety) produces smoke that may impact breathing issues or produce allergic reactions.
- Prior to using incense, anyone with an underlying health condition that may be affected should speak to their medical professional.
- Incense is to be enjoyed for its fragrance and is not intended as a medical remedy.
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This is an excerpt from 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.
