The "Ten Virtues of Koh" is a list of the benefits derived from the use of incense. These Ten Virtues have been passed down from the fifteenth century (the Japan's Muromachi Era) and are still cited today as uniquely capturing the spirit of Koh.

In Japan, there was a time called Edo, which lasted 260 years from the 1600s to the 1800s.

People of different classes, such as samurai, peasants, craftsmen, and tradesmen, created their own culture during this time.
In particular, people of Japan’s capital city at the time, Edo (today’s Tokyo), enjoyed the four seasons and the company of other people, giving life to a culture brimming with vitality.

This saw the emergence of words like iki.
Iki was used to describe things like a gentleman’s mindset such as when men amuse themselves, the allure of a mature lady, or simple attire that enshrouded glamour beneath. The spirit of iki is still revered amongst the intellectual fashionistas in Japan.

Iki represents an urban "dandyism" of the Edo era. That can be iki by doing a small thing to give attention to something that would usually not be noticed. For example, let's say that we displayed a single flower in a small vase when your guests come to your home. It is a small display, but it gives people coming into the room a sense of comfort and a feeling of season. That would be an example of an iki arrangement. Iki can also be expressed in the thoughtfulness of one person towards another.

This series was created by master incense artisans from modern Tokyo, using fragrance to represent a range of Edo-inspired scenes.
As you light the incense, an enticing wisp of smoke beckons you to Edo’s urbane world of iki. The aroma will send you back in time to Japan’s good old Edo period.

OEDO-KOH tells six different stories of people from this era.
The drifting scent may awaken memories that lie deep within you.

60 -12 minute sticks per box. Each box comes with a metal burner.

About The Brand:

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.

Many of those pleasing and enduring high-quality incense fragrances, which the company continues to produce to this day, are based on the original formulas created by Koju and later by Yujiro Kito, who was hailed as the genius of fragrance during the Meiji restoration period in the 19th century - around the time that Japan opened its doors to the world and began to modernize itself.

Brought to Japan in the eighth century by Buddhist monks, who used the mystical aromas in their religious ceremonies, "Koh," as incense is called in Japanese, passed into the realm of the aristocracy centuries later as a source of amusement and enlightenment as they "listened to the fragrance" in their parlor games.

It wasn't until the 14th century in the Japan's Muromachi Era that incense reached the height of its popularity with the upper and middle classes of Japanese society, who used it as a mark of distinction and sophistication and to dispel unpleasant odors. It was around this time that samurai warriors began perfuming their helmets and armor with incense before going into battle as they prepared to meet their fate.

Now, incense promises to become even more acceptable and desirable as a new dimension in gracious living that opens up a whole new world of spiritual awareness and understanding.