How to choose a low smoke incense

Low smoke incense is the same craft as traditional incense, with the smoke dialled down. It is not smokeless, and you will still see a thin thread of smoke. What changes is that the haze does not build up in the room and the scent does not catch in your throat.

Start with a scent family

Woods are the traditional choice: sandalwood, agarwood, hinoki cypress and Japanese cedar. Quiet, dry and grounding. Start here if you want incense that smells like a temple rather than a perfume.

Florals include sakura, rose, jasmine and lotus. Softer, and more present in the room.

Fruit and sweet covers yuzu, apple, white peach and chocolate. These are the most modern of the three and the easiest for someone who has never burned incense before.

20 g or 40 g

Most scents come in a 40 g box. Many are also sold in 20 g, which exists so you can find out whether you like a scent before committing to the larger box. If you are buying for someone else, 20 g is the safer gift.

One thing people forget

Japanese incense has no bamboo core, so these sticks are around 2.7 mm thick, thinner than Indian incense. A holder bought for thicker sticks will be too loose. Every holder we sell is sized for these.

All of it is made on Awaji Island in Hyogo prefecture, from natural woods, resins and essential oils.