Kaiunkoh Japanese Incense by Baieido

Premium Aloeswood & Sandalwood Japanese Incense

A firm favourite at Kelvin Rooms from the beginning, the Kaiunkoh Incense by Baieido is from the World's oldest incense house. It is the favourite of monks and temples throughout Japan for generations, and has been shop owner Emma's go-to incense since being gifted it 25 years ago!

Kaiunkoh means 'Good Fortune Incense' Kaiunkoh is an old traditional formula. It is highly spiced and rich in Vietnamese aloeswood and quality sandalwood. 

Incense weight: 37 grams
Number of sticks: Approximately 55 short sticks. This may vary slightly, as the quantity of incense is based upon weight, not the number of sticks
Stick length: Approx 13.5 cms
Burn time per stick: About 45 minutes per stick
Manufacturer: Baieido, Japan

About aloeswood: In Japan, aloeswood is seen as a sacred and important wood. It is one of the most distinguished ingredients of some Japanese incense. During the Kamakura period (1185-1333) the Japanese began using various raw woods such as aloeswood in the making of incense. Some incense was used in a more recreational way, while others were used in the most important of religious ceremonies. This led to a classification system for grading the qualities of aloeswood. The very finest quality aloeswood is referred to as Kyara. Good quality aloeswood fetches very high prices and this is reflected in the prices of the highest quality aloeswood incenses.

Aloeswood is also an important wood in the Middle East and in many places is burned daily to accompany prayer. It is also known as agarwood, eaglewood, oud or gaharu. The wood itself has no significant aroma. Aloeswood is obtained from the evergreen daphne genus tree. When a fungus infects the tree a resin begins to form. When the trees die, this resin continues to harden and mature. This resin-imbued wood is then collected for incense and burning purposes.

In Japan, it is considered a great honour to receive a gift of fine aloeswood or Kyara.

About sandalwood: An evergreen tree of the Santalaceae family found predominantly in India. Within India, the area by the southwest coast known as the Mysore region is referred to as Sandalwood City, and this is regulated by the Indian government. It is extremely famous for its production of superior quality Sandalwood as well as its high price. The heartwood of the Sandalwood tree has been valued from ancient times for carving Buddhist statues and ritual objects. Its aroma is proclaimed in ancient works as; 'pure, powerful, emanating tranquillity, when burnt it is superior to other incense aromas.'