New arrivals: Gyokushodo & Tennendo
This season we are excited to be introducing two new Japanese incense houses to Lotus Zen – Gyokushodo and Tennendo. Both brands make traditional and modern incense using high quality aloeswood, sandalwood, spices and florals. In the past, it was rare to find Gyokushodo and Tennendo incense in the UK, so we are delighted to be making these incenses more accessible and affordable for our customers.
A particularly special incense from the new collection is Tennendo’s Omani Frankincense. This is arguably the closest you can get to burning real Omani frankincense resin! When we first tried a sample, we were amazed at its pure frankincense scent which is unlike any frankincense incense we’ve tried so far.
Another standout feature of both brands is their use of premium aloeswood. Many high-end incenses containing genuine aloeswood can be quite expensive, however Gyokushodo’s Daily Incense line offers premium incense at an accessible price point.
Gyokushodo
Gyokushodo was established in 1804 and is currently based in Osaka, Japan. They are a relatively new Japanese incense house to be introduced to a western audience, but their daily range contains some of the most popular scents in Japan and their premium Kaori no sho is excellent.
The Daily Incense series features a range of woody scents based on traditional blends of aloeswood, sandalwood and other raw ingredients. Recommended for daily use, meditation and special occasions. What’s exciting about this series is the quality of the aloeswood at such a reasonable price. We recommend starting with Kojurin which is a floral, amber-like sandalwood that has a similar scent to Les Encense du Monde’s Forest of Flowers.
Kaori no sho is Gyokushodo's premium range. The series is made using the finest aloeswood, sandalwood, florals and spices, and features six unique scents designed to stir the imagination and create beautiful scent impressions. The series features ‘impressions’ of blooming flowers, woody forests, oceans, clouds, and winds. This line is extremely impressive and highly recommended for those who appreciate the subtlety of higher end Japanese incense.
Tennendo
Tennendo was founded during the Genna Era in the year 1622 and currently based in Kurume City on the island of Kyushu, Japan. They have a reputation for making wonderful blends using high quality sandalwood, aloeswood, spices and florals. They are best known for their Omani frankincense sticks, which are arguably the highest quality frankincense incense in the world.
We currently stock three Premium Aloeswoods – Renzan, Tensei and Kukai. Renzan is a great starting point and quite an accessible aloeswood. It has dry cherry blossom note that's similar to Shoyeido’s Cherry Blossoms, though less tart. Tensei and Kukai are sophisticated aloeswood blends. Tensei has a Kyara-like scent, very smooth and floral and Kukai is bold, rich and spicy.
Tennendo’s Frankincense uses a blend of Omani frankincense resin and woods to create a scent that is renown among the Japanese incense world for its authenticity. Comprised of sweet, citrus and fruity notes, this is the closest you can get to burning real frankincense resin.
Happy New Year!
These new additions are a great start to the new year, and we hope you enjoy burning them as much as we have! It’s always exciting discovering new brands and we will continue looking for new selections to stock. We wish all our customers a happy new year and a cosy winter.
LZ.
This is wonderful. I’m a newbie to incense but quickly learning about what’s available and starting to build a collection, and I’m confused about just how few products are available in the UK compared with the USA. Awesome to see these being added (I’m still deciding which to order) and I hope more will join them soon, such as some of Shoyeido’s other ranges, and products from other incense makers such as Minorien.