Shoyeido's Horin Incense Assortment - 20 sticks

Just received the item, they are absolutely tiny! Not the standard size you would expect and for over £20, not worth the money unfortunately, I will be returning these sadly

Samplers like this one are excellent if you want to test a variety of scents for a relatively inexpensive amount. I highly reccomend this if you're interested in getting higher quality incense for perfuming the air of your house. Ten Pyo (Peaceful Sky) has a very strong woodsy, herby smell that reminds me of pepper and burning green wood. Apparently kyara is one of the more prominent ingredients in this mix. I didn't initially like this scent, but it eventually began to be one of my more favored ones. However, I probably will not use this one in the future. Be warned, the smell is EXTREMELY strong and bold and lingers for a long time. Give it another try after the initial burn; I dont regret it. Muromachi (City of Culture) has a very strong note of almost caramel (but not exactly), and smells like wood. It has more of a two toned scent. Not so much a foodsy smell, but more like a candy, but far less sweet. (Bleh on that description. Try it, its better than what you'll read here) Genroku (Returning Spirit) is very green and herby. Its supposed to represent air? I guess? Not very airy, but if you dont mind green scents, it's pleasant. Less powerful than Peaceful Sky, but has different overtones. Shirakawa (White River) isnt exactly like River Path, but is similar. Still, both are distinct scents. Its almost sweeter? But it is still a cinnamony, yummy scent that isnt overwhelming in the odor of spice. I personally liked it a lot. Lastly, Nijo (Avenue of the Villa) is a light, fresh scent that reminds me of a variety of fresh, indistinct flowers. Other people have described it as a walk through a street after a gentle rain, lined with houses, each having their own garden. A bit too poetic for me, but it smells fresh and lightly flowery. One that I prefer. Hope this helps whoever is interested in buying this, and potentially picks out a favorite scent. I know I settled on Avenue of the Villa because of this pack, and I can now see why White River/River Path are so popular. All of these scents are exceptional in their own right; there are definitely places and times where Peaceful Sky or Returning Spirit would fit more than, say, a boquet of flowers.

This is absolutely beautiful incense. My main problem with it is is that I’ve now developed a taste for the Shoyeido incense and its expensive ! I’ve come back looking to buy a box of the 80 sticks in the Nijo fragrance, but I also love the White River.

The Canadian Amazon price is cheaper than the original store price, which is in USD. Same amount, with no currency difference. It might change in the future, but for that alone, its worth grabbing and giving it a try. The fragrances are a good spectrum from wood/musky/dark towards very light, floral and powdery. There's no "bad" fragrance here, much like when you go to an ice cream shop, there's no bad flavour. Just depends on your personal likes and dislikes. Sticks are short and last about 10 minutes worth of a burn, which is more than enough. Smell gently lingers around for a few hours, but it becomes more and more subtle as time goes by. Its not the type of incense that punches you in the face or sticks to your clothes long term. They are more expensive than other companies, but also clearly a step above the Indian and Chinese sticks you can find for half the price. No weird chemical smells either. Packaging and presentation is also well thought out and high quality. Box is small but extra thick, printed ink quality is also very nice. Can easily give it as a gift, accompanied by a Hallmark card or something similar.

Yes, these are smaller sticks. Yes, they are pricey compared to other brands. BUT SO WORTH IT. The scents are stunning. Deep, complex, rich, without the weird perfume of the cheap stuff. A little bit is enough to make my small home office smell divine, and a subtle aroma will linger for many hours. Shirakawa is a standout. This is a perfectly balanced woody spice blend that is so comforting. It’s strong without being overpowering and sweet without being cloying. It’s very natural, with so much depth that you don’t go nose-blind to it. Nijo is a lighter scent that Shirakawa, but has a similar “classic incense” feel. Familiar, but better. This is the good stuff. It’s subtle when lit, good for creating a mood for focus or quiet. More than the others, this has a lingering presence after it’s extinguished. There is a lovely ghost of Nijo long after the burn. Genroku is interesting. Herbal, light, but not wishy-washy. I found this to be the most gentle of the scents. Relaxing. Ten Pyo is complex and herbal. It is the most “perfumey” of them, in the way it hits the nose and the mood it evokes. Muromachi is an odd one. Unlit it smells very strongly of caramel. Lit, it’s gunpowder and wood. Not my favorite, but it might grow on me.