Your Guide to Enjoying Japanese Incense 香: How to Use, Store, and Stay Safe
As a fellow lover of Japanese incense and the owner of this store, we are thrilled you're exploring this wonderful world of subtle fragrances and mindful moments. Unlike some other types of incense, Japanese incense is known for its natural ingredients, lower smoke production, and exquisite, layered aromas designed for appreciation, meditation, or simply creating a peaceful atmosphere.
To help you get the most out of your experience, here's a simple guide on properly consuming (burning), storing, and safely enjoying your beautiful Japanese incense.
How to Properly Consume (Burn) Your Japanese Incense
Enjoying Japanese incense is a gentle, meditative process. It's not about filling a room with overpowering smoke but appreciating the evolving fragrance.
Choose Your Moment & Location:
Find a peaceful spot where you won't be disturbed. Ensure the area is free from drafts (which can make the incense burn unevenly or blow ash/sparks) and has good air circulation. An open window slightly ajar is usually perfect.
Select Your Incense & Burner:
Incense: Choose a fragrance that suits your mood or intention.
Burner: Japanese incense sticks typically don't have a bamboo core, which burns down completely to ash. You'll need a suitable burner. Common types include:
- Ceramic or Metal Holders: Often small pieces with a hole to insert the stick vertically or horizontally.
- Ash Catchers: Long trays designed to catch the ash of a horizontally burning stick.
- Bowls with Ash: Traditional method using a bowl filled with fine ash (like rice husk ash) where the stick is inserted vertically or horizontally.
Ensure stability! Whatever burner you use, make sure it's stable on a flat, heat-resistant surface.
Light the Incense:
Hold the tip of the incense stick to a flame (from a match or lighter) for a few seconds until it catches fire.
Gently Extinguish the Flame:
This is important for Japanese incense! Once the tip is glowing red, gently blow out the flame or fan it with your hand. You should see a thin wisp of fragrant smoke rising from the glowing ember. The stick should not continue to flame.
Place in the Burner:
Carefully place the glowing stick into your chosen burner, ensuring it is secure and that any ash will fall safely within the confines of the burner.
Enjoy Mindfully:
Sit back, relax, and allow the subtle fragrance to fill the space. Pay attention to how the aroma changes as the incense burns. Burning time varies depending on the stick size and thickness, but is typically 15-30 minutes.
After Burning:
Allow the ash and the burner to cool completely before handling or disposing of the ash.
(Our favorite incense holder: A giant snake plant pot)
Proper Storage for Longevity and Freshness
Japanese incense is made from natural ingredients whose aromas can fade or change if not stored correctly. Proper storage ensures your incense stays fragrant and ready to enjoy.
Keep it Cool and Dry:
The biggest enemies of incense are moisture and heat. Store your incense in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and radiators or heating vents.
Avoid Strong Odors:
Incense can absorb other smells, which will affect its intended fragrance. Store it away from strong-smelling items like perfumes, cleaning products, or cooking areas.
Use Airtight or Original Packaging:
The original boxes are often designed to protect the incense. Keep the sticks inside their box when not in use.
For longer-term storage, or if the original packaging isn't sufficient, an airtight container like a glass jar, tin, or a sealed plastic bag is ideal. This helps preserve the moisture content (they shouldn't be bone dry) and keeps other odors out.
Separate Scents:
If you have many different types of incense, storing them in separate containers or boxes is best to prevent the aromas from mingling.
Common Consumer Product Safety Warnings
Your safety is paramount! Please treat burning incense with the respect and caution you would any open flame or heat source.
FIRE HAZARD:
You are burning a combustible material.
- NEVER leave burning incense unattended. Always extinguish it completely if you leave the room or fall asleep.
- Keep burning incense and burners well away from flammable materials such as curtains, paper, books, clothing, carpets, and furniture. Ensure the burning incense stick cannot fall out of its holder.
BURN HAZARD:
The incense stick, the ash, and the burner will become HOT.
- Do not touch the glowing tip or ash.
- Allow the stick, ash, and burner to cool completely before handling or disposing of the ash. Always place the burner on a stable, heat-resistant surface (like a ceramic plate, stone coaster, or purpose-built heat pad).
Placement:
Place the burner on a secure, flat surface where it cannot be easily knocked over by people, pets, or drafts. Keep burning incense out of reach of children and pets.
Ventilation:
Always burn incense in a well-ventilated area. While Japanese incense produces less smoke than many others, burning anything releases particles and carbon monoxide. Ensure good airflow. Do not use in small, unventilated spaces or while sleeping in a closed room.
If you have respiratory sensitivities or conditions like asthma, use incense with caution and ensure very good ventilation.
Ash Disposal:
Ensure the ash is completely cool before disposing of it.
Using Japanese incense should be a peaceful and safe ritual. By following these simple steps for burning and storage, and by always keeping safety firmly in mind, you can fully appreciate the exquisite fragrances and calming presence that quality Japanese incense brings into your life.
If you ever have any questions about a specific product or how to use your burner, please don't hesitate to reach out! We're always happy to help you on your incense journey.
Enjoy your fragrant moments!
