Incense Subtype

Fragrance

Savor the refreshing scent of pine, the tree that guards the travelers’ road and watches over their safe return. It is traditionally believed that the kami (deities) dwell in evergreen trees. The word matsu means both “pine” and “to wait” (for the deity to descend), and the pine is part of the felicitous trio of pine, bamboo and plum tree, and the auspicious pairing of crane and pine. Pine decorations are displayed at New Year’s, and a monumental pine tree is painted on the backdrop of the Noh stage – all expressing the pine’s association with luck and longevity. In ukiyo-e woodcuts, boldly rendered pines standing in the midst of Edo-era people bustling to and fro are a classic motif.