Mainichikoh Natural — Bodhi Tree & Sandalwood (毎日香ナチュラル 菩提樹と白檀の香り)

Shelf review. The green box is Mainichikoh Natural, Nippon Kodo's modern take on the incense Japanese households have burned at the family altar since the Meiji era. Same cloud-and-brushstroke box as the classic, but the formula is rebuilt for small rooms: the maker claims three things, printed as badges on the lid, measured against its own sticks: very little smoke, a restrained scent, and almost no lingering smell. The inner sleeve describes it as bodhi tree and sandalwood blended with a clear floral, fresh and soft. Bodhi is the tree the Buddha sat under, which is why it's planted at temples. Verdict: this is incense for a kitchen or an apartment, not a meditation hall. A stick runs about 25 minutes standing up. Pick it when you want the ritual of lighting one without the house smelling like a temple for a day. If you want the room to carry the scent, the classic Mainichikoh or Tokusen Mainichikoh (agarwood) go further. Reviewed from the box and the maker's specs. Checkout is at Nippon Kodo's Japan shop.