Kodo

Most people are familiar with the Japanese Tea Ceremony, but have you have heard of the Japanese Incense Ceremony? 香道 (Kōdō) is an art form that comprises of two aspects – as a improvement of one’s mental well-being, and as a game.

Legend has it that due to a log of incense wood drifting ashore on the Japanese island of Awaji, the locals began this tradition. It is said that the smell of the wood when placed near a fire was so alluring that the local people presented this discovery to the officials.

Historically, the tradition became popular around the Sengoku era, practised among the upper classes. It is noted that it developed into a game around the end of the sixteenth century. Due to its many variations, kodo is now largely practised in the two forms mentioned earlier. In the first, participants sniff fragrances according to a set of rules. It is a slow and relaxing way of removing oneself from everyday life, making the ceremony perfect for reflection and rest. In the second, participants are to determine which of the materials provided are used in making the incense via a series of games in which their answers are taken down. An example of this would be the game “Genjikō”, where participants have to determine which censers contain the same scents and which differ.

Kodo continues to be practised to this day, and while it is an art that requires many years of study and practice in order to master, it is definitely an experience one might want to consider as part of their visit to Japan.

Written by Jie R
Edited by Jessel Eng