About Shoyeido Incense

Over 1,400 years ago, a large piece of fragrant driftwood washed ashore on the tiny Japanese island of Awaji. Realizing the uniqueness of the marvelous fragrance emanating from the wood, island locals presented it as a gift to the Empress Suiko. With this gift of precious agarwood began a new era of refinement of — and appreciation for — the enjoyment of fragrance. 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. Shoyeido incense is considered the highest quality, most natural incense available on Earth. Shoyeido's blending process is an art form. Highly trained "masters" draw upon centuries-old secrets to create masterworks of fragrance. These artisans carefully process the quality, balance, and ratio of every hand-selected natural ingredient. The slightest variation in amount or quality of any component can dramatically influence the outcome. Only the finest raw materials are used. The results are remarkable, subtle scents that beckon us to use all of our senses — what the Japanese call mon-koh, or "listening to incense." Our products are proven sellers in many markets, including health food stores, gift shops, bookstores, boutiques, vitamin stores, apothecaries, spas, and salons.Read their story