Japanese Incense @ Blunda

The selection of incense at Blunda is extraordinary, and includes Indian incense, house blend of loose incense similar to Egyptian Khyphi but blended with Native Indian herbs and resins, Koh-Doh tools and accessories (and pretty porcelain incense holders as in the picture above); and high quality Japanese incense from Shoyeido. I was particularly smitten with the Chai and Frankincense sticks from their Gourmet collection. There is also a plum blossom incense for heating on the mica plate (rather than burning directly on charcoal). These pretty incense pellets are fashioned in the shape of pink plum blossoms and arranged as if to decorate a fan!

The Chai incense is milky and warm like a Cashmere sweater. I haven't burnt the Frankincense yet but it smells like a Japanese take on church incense. The coil in the photo above is Shoyeido Nijo coiled incense (Avenue of the Villa). It smells more traditional Japanese with camphor and agarwood.