The Fragrant Path: A Guide to the Japanese Art of Incense

For over 1,400 years, the Japanese art of incense has painted the air, its fragrant wisps of smoke like the soft monochromatic hues of a sumi ink painting. As one of Japan's most comprehensive art forms, incense is both an expression of Japanese culture and a reflection of the poetic, literary, spiritual, and historic events that shaped its refinement.

When we "listen" to Japanese incense, we listen to the whispers of nature, enjoying a dialogue with emperors and shōguns, samurai and tea mas...