Brand: Gyokushodo
Model: Hana no Sho (Bloom)
Ingredients: Tabu bark powder, activated carbon powder, Sandalwood, Jinsui Koboku (jinko,) Sandalwood oil, and other ingredients.
This is an entry level incense in Gyokushodo’s line. These are actually relatively inexpensive. You can purchase a package over 100 sticks for about $30 in the USA or even cheaper if you are willing to purchase from overseas. Supposedly Hana no Sho translates to ‘Flower Impressions’.
Review
The stick smells strongly before even burning it. It is a black color, and you would be able to tell that it contains charcoal even without looking at the ingredient list. It does not seem to have as much as a ‘low-smoke’ styled incense though.
This is a very nice incense stick. It’s not quite as mild as one might expect from a low-end Japanese-styled formulation. The scent is comprised primarily of sandalwood and the sandalwood oil noted in the ingredient list is quite apparent. The scent smells natural, but also has a sort of perfume-like vibe. It is on the sweeter side and smells a little ‘rich’. The agarwood fragrance is detectable at times and adds a come-and-go bitter component to the fragrance profile. Cooling camphor notes seem to cling to the wood notes.
Overall, very enjoyable. I would recommend this incense if you’re looking for something along the lines of what I described above.
