- Duration
- About 2 hours
- Group size
- 4–30 pax
- Cities
- Kyoto
- Indicative budget
- From ¥31,500 per person
Incense came to Japan with Buddhism, and the Heian court turned it into a refinement: people perfumed their clothes and letters and played at recognizing fragrances. Kodo, codified later, is its heir. Incense is not 'smelled' but 'listened to': a small sliver of precious wood, warmed over ash, is passed from hand to hand, and each person takes time to perceive what it releases.
The session begins with this introduction, led by an incense specialist and interpreted. It often continues with a recognition game (kumiko): several incenses go around, and participants must identify which ones are the same. Then comes the workshop: from about ten ingredients (sandalwood, clove, cinnamon, bark, resins), each person measures and composes their own blend, which goes into a fabric sachet or is shaped into small cones.
For a corporate group, the workshop offers a rare register: scent, calm and nuance, far from more physical team activities. The recognition game can be played in teams and creates a low-key sense of competition. It suits a premium incentive program or a late afternoon before dinner especially well, and the sachet makes a light, personal gift that is easy to bring home.
Objectives
- Discover a refined Japanese art little known to foreign visitors
- Offer a calm, sensory activity within an incentive program
- Give each participant a personal gift they composed themselves
How it works
- 1Welcome in a private room and introduction to the history of incense in Japan.
- 2Introduction to kodo: listening to a precious wood, gestures and vocabulary, interpreted.
- 3Incense recognition game, individually or in teams.
- 4Blending workshop: measuring ingredients and creating a personal mix.
- 5Filling sachets or shaping cones, handover of the creations and questions.
Good to know
- Avoid perfume or aftershave that day: it interferes with how the whole group perceives the incense.
- Groups of 4 to 15 per session; up to 30 people in two sessions or a larger room.
- A calm, seated indoor activity, accessible to everyone.
- Let us know in advance about allergies or respiratory sensitivities; only small amounts are burned.
- Pairs well with a tea ceremony or a kaiseki dinner on the same day.
Indicative budget
From ¥31,500 per person (private session, small-group basis, materials included). Group rate quoted according to headcount; interpreter and transfers optional.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is kodo?
It is the Japanese art of appreciating incense, much as chado is for tea. A fragment of aromatic wood is warmed rather than burned, and its scent is 'listened to' following a precise protocol. The introduction covers the basics in about forty minutes.
Is it suitable for people who dislike strong smells?
Yes. Japanese incense is subtle, and the room stays well ventilated. The blends made in the workshop are not burned on site but placed in sachets.
Can the sachets go through customs?
They contain only dried woods and spices and fit easily in luggage. For countries with strict plant-import rules, we check in advance and can adapt the ingredients.
