印香 Incense

Journey to the Past

Take a moment for Japanese sweets in a tranquil environment. On this foodie tour, we will guide you to the best modern tea houses in the city.

Did you Know?

Did You Know?

Inko is an art form passed down from the Nara period (710 to 794) and is based on neriko, a type of incense made by kneading dozens of different fragrances together, pouring the mixture into a mold, then cutting them into shapes, once dried. During the Heian period, aristocrats would burn this type of incense near their kimonos to infuse them with lovely scents.

Inko is also used in Japanese tea ceremony in the colder months to fill the tea room with a lovely scent and simultaneously mask the smell of the burning charcoal heating the tea water.

A little goes a long way and a small inko is placed near the heat during a break in the tea ceremony. When the participants re-enter the room, the fragrance has spread throughout the space, invoking their senses and preparing their palette for the tea that follows.

Sample Itinerary

3-3:45 PM

Mixing & Pressing

Mix, knead and press the mixture into the higashi molds.

3:45 - 4PM

Un-Molding and Packing

Carefully remove your matcha flavored incense from the mold, pack it and allow to dry.

Pairs Well With