page_title: Incense
section_title: Japanese
hierarchical_section_title: Incense / Cultural variations / Japanese
context_page_description: Incense is aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burned. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also be used as a simple deodorant or insect repellent.
  Incense is composed of aromatic plant materials, often combined with essential oils. The forms taken by incense differ with the underlying culture, and have changed with advances in technology and increasing number of uses.
  Incense can generally be separated into two main types: "indirect-burning" and "direct-burning". Indirect-burning incense is not capable of burning on its own, and requires a separate heat source. Direct-burning incense is lit directly by a flame and then fanned or blown out, leaving a glowing ember that smoulders and releases a smoky fragrance. Direct-burning incense is either a paste formed around a bamboo stick, or a paste that is extruded into a stick or cone shape.
context_section_description: In Japan incense appreciation folklore includes art, culture, history, and ceremony. Incense burning may occasionally take place within the tea ceremony, just like calligraphy, ikebana, and scroll arrangement. Kōdō (香道), the art of incense appreciation, is generally practiced as a separate art form from the tea ceremony, and usually within a tea room of traditional Zen design.
  Agarwood (沈香, jinkō) and sandalwood (白檀, byakudan) are the two most important ingredients in Japanese incense. The characters in agarwood mean "incense that sinks in water" due to the weight of the resin in the wood. Sandalwood is used in the Japanese tea ceremony. The most valued sandalwood comes from Mysore in the state of Karnataka in India.
  Japanese incense companies divide agarwood into six categories depending on its properties and the region from which it is obtained. Kyara (伽羅), a type of agarwood, is currently worth more than its weight in gold.
caption: Stacks of incense at a temple in Japan
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