This is a very interesting incense stick which I was lucky to receive as part of an incense exchange program. I do like the scent of cedar, but what is really intriguing about this incense stick is the history behind it’s creation.
To get an idea of the history of this watermill, you can read this quote from Baba Suishaba himself:
“Yame, Fukuoka is known for its production of cedar tree powder. At its peak, more than 40 watermills were supplying powder to incense makers all over Japan. Baba Suishaba watermill, founded in 1918, have been refining skills of gathering and riding cedar leaves into powder using the waterwheel, for 100 years. The incense was born from the century old history of tireless effort, to make top quality cedar powder. Through our incense we hope to deliver the richness of Yame’s nature, home of Japanese Incense.” – Baba Suishaba
From what I have read, Baba Suishaba is quite pleased that people from around the world are beginning to enjoy the product he’s spent nearly his whole life producing.
Review
This is a very deep and rich smelling cedar. The cedar rings quite loud, with some surprising notes on the high-end. I also smell something similar to sweet pipe tobacco. This cedar is a bit sweeter then most other cedar incense sticks which I have tried. It’s a very dense incense stick, and is slightly thicker then most other Japanese incense stick varieties. Being as how it’s made from leaf material, it produces a reasonable amount of smoke.
I think Baba Suishaba does an excellent job manufacturing these. They are essentially a perfect representation of a Japanese cedar incense stick. That being said, they are a single-note incense, so you would have to really love the smell of cedar in order to dish out the money for these high-end cedar incense sticks. If you know somebody who loves the smell of cedar, these would probably make an excellent gift.
Have you tried Baba Suishaba’s cedar incense sticks?
Let us know what you thought about them in the comment section below!
