Incense is a very popular thing these days, many people love burning incense in their homes. They vary in scent and are much more appealing than just using room sprays or plug-ins.
They look aesthetically pleasing and feel very calming, making your whole home feel very at peace.
Most people would not be very surprised if we told them that incense use dates back hundreds of years and has very strong roots in a lot of Asia countries, including Japan.
However, using incense and incense holders properly is not as easy as just ‘light it’, pop it in a safe place, and enjoy it.
There is more to it than that, and do things wrong, and you could easily burn your tabletop or set your nice rug on fire (we totally haven’t done that, we promise).
So, to save you from making the same mistakes we have, let’s talk you through how to properly use these amazing things.
Choose Your Type Of Incense & Appropriate Holder
For most people, when you say the term ‘incense’, they immediately think of incense sticks. Those are the most common type that we can get our hands on, however, they are not the only type.
You can try out each of these and then choose your favorite, or perhaps one type would suit your home better than others.
Let’s educate ourselves on these different types.
Using Incense Sticks
Firstly we have the classic incense sticks. These are thin wooden sticks covered with incense material and only a small bit at the bottom is uncovered. It can be grainy or fine and come in many aromas.
It is best to choose an incense stick that is scented naturally, not with bonding agents. These can be enjoyed for cultural reasons, religious, spiritual reasons, as well as meditation or just for aesthetic reasons.
High quality incense will burn a lot longer and the scent will linger.
Most incense sticks should be held in a long flat holder. This is usually a long flat piece of wood with a hole in it to hold the uncovered part of the incense. However, you can also get boxes, or circular wooden planks that have a hole in them.
Whatever the case, ensure that when the end of the incense stick goes through the hole that it is held in such a way that it is not touching anything, to avoid it going out or igniting something out.
Using Incense Cones
Incense cones are similar. Instead of being held by a stick, the incense is just shaped into a cone. The smell will be similar, but the shape is different. These can be placed on just one metal safety platform which will often come with the incense.
However, you can also place them on incense burning ornaments (usually ceramics), or even use an incense burner with a chain (great if you need to cleanse your home).
With this type of incense, it will leave behind ashes in the shape of a cone, which does make for slightly easier cleaning.
When you light an incense stick you just wait for the flame to catch then blow out the flame, so it can burn. With an incense cone you do the same, however it may take longer to catch properly.
Using Back-Flow Incense Cones
These are just the same as normal incense cones however, the difference is that they have a hole in the bottom of them, this hole allows the smoke to pour out of the cone through its base.
With these cones you can get some very pretty burners, often with a waterfall effect to them, looking like mini waterfalls. This is one so that once you have placed the incense in its position and lit it, the smoke pours out like a waterfall.
The incense itself is lit just the same, but it does create a gorgeous effect.
For these, place the incense burner in a room with no wind or draft, light the incense at its tip and place it on the burner. Then watch the smoke flow elegantly down the burner and create that gorgeous waterfall effect.
These are very aesthetically pleasing, smell great and make you feel super relaxed.
Back-flow incense will have a much wider array of incense holders than the former two, as it can be used much more for aesthetic purposes.
Burning Incense In Japan
So, if incense was used often in Japan, are we still using it in a similar way? Sort of. Burning incense in Japan has been done since around the 6th century as Buddhism entered the country.
It started with Agarwood, which is very fragrant, being imported into the country and being used as incense during religious events, rituals and even meditation.
Since then incense has been a large part of Japanese culture.
In Japan the word used for the use of incense is ‘Kodo’ (香道). Kodo means “Way of Fragrance” and refers to the art of appreciating incense in Japan. This phrase means to use incense within a codified conduct structure.
The word for incense in Japan is ‘Ko’ (香).
Use In Temples And Shrines
There is also a whole art around incense in Japan, known as the ‘Way of Incense’, it is much like the tea ceremony. Participants of this will go through established practices in the enjoyment and preparation of incense.
In Japan this is counted as one of the three classical arts of refinements. It includes all the incense process aspects, from the tools used to appreciating the many smells.
There are two main types of incense used in Japan, these are obtained by smoldering or heating small parts of very fragrant wood, or even by directly burning cones or sticks like many of us do across the globe.
Many companies who produce incense in Japan have been around for at least 3 centuries!
To Conclude
Incense is a part of Japanese culture, and the cultures of many other Eastern nations, however, it has become integrated into other countries now, and we are all enjoying incense and the relaxation these smells can bring us.
Using incense is actually really simple, you should just be wise to practice caution and good practice when it comes to lighting it, even when the flame is out, it is still hot!
Hi, I’m Jason Patrick, and for as long as I have been alive, I have been obsessed with Japanese culture. From the sights and sounds of Japan’s many cities to its culinary delights that have become famous worldwide, I simply cannot get enough of this wonderful nation!
I hope that, by exploring this website, you all will develop a much deeper appreciation for Japan, and that it may even influence you to pay it a visit yourself eventually! It is definitely a trip of a lifetime, and whether you experience it firsthand, or through my own website, I’m sure you will become just as passionate as I always have been!
