nippon kodo Aroma Bliss - Edo Sensual (Approx. 220 Sticks), Edo Nishiki, Japanese Quality Incense, Since 1575

There's one thing I appreciate about Japanese goods--and that it's relatively easy to figure out if an item will be good quality before you even open the box. Their heavy cultural emphasis on packaging means that you really can judge something by its cover with good reliability. I went out on a limb and bought this because the packaging was so beautiful, I figured the smell had to be good. And like the other reviewer (called Objective Reader of Descriptions) said, I'm also very happy I did. I agree with everything they said, the description of the notes ("Sharp cinnamon & refreshing vanilla," "slightly sweet and sour") really sounds like some artificial migraine nightmare out of Bath and Body Works. But it works really well. I think I'll burn this very frequently from now on, since I live in a studio and it's hard to get it to not smell like I was cooking. I also want my guests to be able to notice my apartment smells different from the hallway as soon as they open my door, sort of like the feeling from a nice department store bathroom. Here are some things it smells like to me:- A warm home in winter- Freshly baked cookies, but not overpowering--I think this is the sweet, vanilla, and cinnamon at play- If you smell the stick directly, it has a fresh feeling to it all like white pepper - it doesn't smell SPICY like chilis or cologne or black pepper, but if you've ever tasted white pepper or mala pepper you know it actually has a cooling, tingly, floral sensation that's felt more than tasted or smelled. Sort of like a gulp of spring water, it lightens heavier notes in the fragrance but it doesn't change the smell of them intrinsically. When burned, it balances out the warmth of cookie scent with something uniquely crisp, like winter air that is 2 degrees celsius. You can keep smelling it without the feeling that it is "oversaturating" your nose.- Throughout the scent there is also a mild sandalwood.- There is absolutely NO smell of smoke.- Overall, it smells like something familiar but also from a land far away.If you are on the fence about this, please try it! You won't regret it. Even if you end up not loving it, you can always gift it to a friend because the packaging is nice...or return it, hahaha...

I agree with the other 5 star reviews. For me, the vanilla is the main scent. I can't appreciate the cinnamon but I say "more" because it isn't an overpowering smell; my concern when ordering it was would it be too sweet like you were in a candy shop. It isn't. Although this isn't my favorite scent (I like earthy scents of a forest more than city scapes, I decided to try it because of the great reviews. I do agree that the scent seems to last longer than other incense and the price is great given how many sticks are included. Each stick is also a bit thicker than the Morning Star line and perhaps because it doesn't have a burning smell, I can detect the scent throughout the day in the room. I've tried many of the Morning Star line and this line seems to be step above and worth a try.

I wrote a review for the accompanying incense in this set that was the best review I could possibly write for incense. It is BEYOND beyond 5 stars. The things I recall writing in the other review were the delightful paper design packaging, the otherworldly scent (which some may or may not agree -sorry smell is subjective!), the surprising way the scent clung to my coat & hair so when I went to an appt. I could faintly smell it on myself, which was extra nice... I did not think Nippon Kodo could outdo themselves or re-create/make new scents but they did. I like to burn the two scents together. This is so hard to describe because I've never smelled anything like it & if I tried to describe it it would come out sounding wrong. Like "powdery" or "sweetly peppery" might have you thinking of the western associations but these aren't powdery in the way you'd think. I actually recoiled from the initial description of the scents but decided to try something new anyway. Was very happy I did. Also, on the matter of price. It does seem steep, but with each box holding 220 sticks, you are going to get your money's worth vs. a candle that lasts a week, maybe?

I bought these bc I got some others by Nippon Kodo while I was visiting out of town. They smell so incredibly good. I will definitely be purchasing again.

I've enjoyed incense for many years. This is the kind of semi - gourmet that is a relatively inexpensive pickup. It blends well on the palate