Sakai Incense

History

Around the end of the 16th century, incense-making was brought to Sakai, where Japan's first incense sticks were produced. Sakai had become well-known for its incense by the Edo era (17C-19C). The blending of perfumes (the vital ingredient of incense sticks) advanced remarkably under the influence of the incense burning and tea ceremony arts, developed during the Muromachi era (15C-16C). 　

A dough mixture of tabu-wood powder and perfume is kneaded with hot water, extruded, cut, finely adjusted in length and dried into incense sticks using traditional methods. 　

Research into the improvement of perfume blending continues today.