Nippon Kodo · the original · ¥484 small bulk box · the benchmark
Shelf review. This is the one every other box in the family is measured against: the sandalwood stick incense Nippon Kodo has made since the Meiji era, and the scent most Japanese homes connect with the family altar and a grandparent's house. Normal smoke, a fuller sandalwood than the Natural line, and a scent that stays in the room after the stick is out. That's the point of it. Verdict: buy it if you want incense to actually change how a room smells, or if you want the familiar, nostalgic Japanese version. At ¥484 for the small box it's also the cheapest way in. If smoke or lingering scent is a problem in a small apartment, the low-smoke classic (けむり少ない) or the green Natural box is the better call. Reviewed from the maker's specs, not yet burned.
