Making Scents

GQ makes mysterious allusions to Shoyeido incense

Page 62 of GQ's November issue - the one with Lil Wayne, Eminem and Keith Richards on the cover - contains a short article about the fashionable NYC clothing store R by 45rpm. The piece isn't actually about the shop's fine designer clothing, however; it's more of a rave for a specific Shoyeido incense the store burns as a wafting, signature scent.

The article includes a picture of the incense in question, but doesn't provide its name. We're happy to resolve the mystery:

It's Beckoning Spring (aka Shun-yo), one of our wondrous Premium incense blends. Order it from our website here.

Our thanks to both the GQ copywriter and to R by 45rpm for creating memorable atmosphere with Shoyeido incense products!

The calm after the storm

Two days after our first snow of the season, the scene around our offices is very different, but no less beautiful.

The calm before the winter storm

Shoyeido USA's hometown of Boulder is downright summery today, but tomorrow should present a very different picture as we await as much as 15 inches of heavy, wet snowfall tonight. It will be our first snow of the season. Picture taken from Shoyeido's rooftop.

Calendar contest update: We have a winner!

It's Friday, and that means our week-long contest for a 2012 Year of the Dragon Zen Calligraphy Calendar has now ended. We have a winner!

We've randomly selected an e-mailed entry from the dozens we've received since last Friday. As always, your enthusiastic emails made our week. We only wish we could award everyone with a calendar!

So, without further ado: the winning email belongs to Carrie in New Mexico! Congratulations, Carrie! We hope you'll enjoy your new calendar throughout 2012 and beyond.

To everyone who entered, our great thanks for playing and for being Shoyeido fans. Stay tuned to our blog and Facebook page for our next contest - it won't be long!

It's Calendar Contest Time!

Each year, we import a limited number of beautiful Zen Calligraphy calendars from Japan, each corresponding to the upcoming year's Chinese astrological creature. Good news - we've just unveiled our 2012 "Year of the Dragon" Zen Calligraphy Calendar and, as is our custom, we're giving a calendar to one of our loyal and lucky Facebook followers!

Here's how this easy contest works:

1. If you're not already, simply become a Shoyeido fan on our Facebook page by clicking here and pressing the "like" button (note: you have to be a registered Facebook user for this to work).

2. Send an e-mail to us at shoyeidowebmaster@gmail.com with the subject line "Dragon." In the body of your message, be sure to include your name, shipping address, and a phone number where we may contact you, should you win and we need to clarify your address.

3. Be patient! We'll accept e-mail entries for this contest for one week - until 12 noon MST on Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. At that time, we will randomly draw an entry from the stack of submissions. Tune in to our Facebook page and blog that day to find out if you're the winner! Don't worry - we won't reveal anyone's last name or contact information, either online or with any other parties.

For a full description of our 2012 "Year of the Dragon" Zen Calligraphy Calendar, please click here. Thanks for entering and good luck!

(Incense) smoke and mirrors

The U.K.'s Daily Mail Online has posted a colorful bit of eye candy today. Amateur photographer Jay Payne's experiments with incense smoke, mirrors, and Photoshop has produced several striking works of ethereal eye candy. A sample:

 

To enjoy several more of Payne's ghostly incense apparitions, click over to the Daily Mail Online's article.

'Incense and Peppermints' lyricist has passed on

John S. Carter, co-lyricist for (and producer of) the Strawberry Alarm Clock's 1967 hit "Incense and Peppermints," passed away earlier this month in Palm Springs, California. He was 65 years old.

With its nonsensical verses and pseudo-deep musings such as "Who cares what games we choose/little to win and nothing to lose," the tune is an iconic example of late 60s psychedelic pop.

For more details about Mr. Carter's colorful life and recent passing, visit the L.A. Times' online obituaries page, here.

Fragrance - The Aroma of Masterpieces

Today's online edition of The Japan Times brings attention to an intriguing exhibit currently on display at the University Art Museum Tokyo. As background for the exhibition, this well-written article covers the advent of Japan's kodo traditions (circa 595), their refinement through the centuries, and the many ways in which these practices are depicted in Japanese art and literature. It's a fascinating summation and a worthy read for for those interested in the convergence of history, art, and fragrance. Check it out here:

Art in the realm of the sense of smell

Introducing: Shoyeido's new battery-powered wood chip heater

New to the U.S. is Shoyeido's Kodutu wood chip heater. This compact, 'AA' battery-powered model brings ease and simplicity to the ages-old pastime of aromatic wood enjoyment.

This sleek unit lists for $149.95 and includes bamboo tongs, three mica plates, and a sturdy cloth travel/storage bag. A sampling of sandalwood chips is also included to help launch your Kodutu excusions.

For more information about Kodutu, including how to order, please visit Shoyeido's web store.

Boulder area 'Artwalk' to feature one of Shoyeido's potters

Cris Conklin, the skilled Boulder potter behind several of Shoyeido's distinctive ceramic incense holders, will be one of the featured artists in Niwot's 1st Friday Artwalk. That's this Friday, April 1 (and for all you out-of-towners, Niwot is a small, artsy community located a few miles to the north of the city of Boulder).

If you're in the area, Cris invites you to stop by, meet her and the other participating potters, check out the art, have some wine, and enjoy live swing and classic jazz of the '30s, '40s and beyond by vibraphone and guitar duo Vic and Pete.

Where: Manifest Art Gallery, 108 2nd Avenue, Niwot, CO 80544.

When: Friday, April 1, 2011 from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. MDT.

National Cherry Blossom Festival: Washington, D.C. Mar. 26 - Apr. 10

One sure sign that springtime is arriving in the U.S is the start of the much-anticipated National Cherry Blossom Festival, set to begin this Saturday, March 26, in Washington, D.C.

Given all that has happened in Japan in the last two weeks, festival organizers are planning a "Stand With Japan" fundraising event tonight at the Washington Monument. A walk around the capitol's Tidal Basin begins at 6:30 p.m.; proceeds will go to the Red Cross's own National Cherry Blossom Festival Online Donation Site.

Says the festival's lovely website: "People are encouraged to gather to reflect and participate in the walk around the Tidal Basin, where the cherry blossom trees, gifted to Washington, DC from Tokyo in 1912, have stood the test of time for 99 years. Our relationship with Japan is at the heart of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and the Festival is uniquely positioned as a natural conduit to unite the millions of people who want to assist and express their support in a show of unity, and the evening of hope and perseverance occurs before the 16-day celebration begins on Saturday, March 26."

As always, the 16-day festival encompasses three weekends of diverse events and an overflowing spectacle of art, culture, food, and entertainment - not to mention the serene natural beauty of the capitol's many cherry trees in full bloom.

www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org

Our thoughts and prayers are with Japan

Our thoughts and prayers go out to our Japanese friends and associates in this time of great trial. Many of our customers have contacted us to learn more about the recent tragic events in Japan. We are saddened by the loss of life and the destruction that has befallen the people of Japan.

Thankfully, we are happy to report that Shoyeido's facilities are quite remote from the region that was affected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Although our hearts are heavy, we take some comfort in knowing that our parent company will continue to operate on a normal, day-to-day basis, and that employees and families are safe.

The events of the past several days have reminded us of just how fragile life can be. We will stand with our Japanese colleagues as they begin the task of rebuilding.

We thank all of you that have offered your condolences and well-wishes.

Man allegedly burns 330 incense bundles; escapes on motorcycle

From the web pages of the Borneo Post comes this colorful news item involving a man, 330 bundles of incense, a getaway motorcycle, and several resultant "puzzles" needing solving by local detectives:

Suspect remanded three days to facilitate probe into temple incident

The Smithsonian's virtual exhibit, "Caravan Kingdoms: Yemen & The Ancient Incense Trade"

It's time to don your adventurer's fedora: the Freer/Sackler Galleries (the Smithsonian's two Asian art museums) have posted an interactive virtual exhibit that's sure to be of interest to incense and history buffs.

Using maps, timelines, and a number of striking images, "Caravan Kingdoms: Yemen & The Ancient Incense Trade," tells the story of Qataban, Saba and Himyar, three ancient kingdoms that amassed great wealth by controlling caravan routes for the frankincense and myrhh trade.

Check out this informative virtual exhibit by clicking here.

An olfactory blog of note

We recently came across an intriguing blog about "things olfactive and gustatory," and being the incense purveyors we are, we thought to bring it to your attention.

"The back story regarding a raw material or finished product is often rich with history, myth and folklore. When all of these aspects are brought together, they tell a story of our common humanity, as expressed through the senses," writes Glass Petal Smoke creator and author Michelle Krell Kydd.

The blog's many well-researched articles stay true to this core observation, making for an insightful and captivating web experience worthy of your browser's bookmark.

Glass Petal Smoke

A Kyoto hotel, incense ceremony instructions inclusive

Jim Byers, travel writer for Canada's The Star, has published a fun article detailing his stay at the Hoshinoya Kyoto hotel. While there, he participated in an introduction to the art of Japanese incense ceremony:

Elegance and ancient rituals mix at Japanese Hotel

TIME points out energy-saving use of incense

Incense as Energy-Conservation Tool

Insightful Slate article about Oman's frankincense culture

For the frankincense-curious among us, slate.com recently published a colorful article about Oman's deep affiliation with the beloved aromatic resin. Included is a short photo slideshow of persons and places mentioned in the piece:

What Is Frankincense?

If reading that puts you in the mood for some fine frankincense incense, of course Shoyeido Japanese Incense has the goods. Try our Incense Road: Frankincense sticks:

Shoyeido's Incense Road: Frankincense

Everyday Incense Gift Set just $4.95 each

While supplies last, Shoyeido is offering a sweet deal on our Everyday Incense Gift Sets: just $4.95 each while supplies last! This stocking stuffer-proportioned lil' box of subtle, natural Japanese fragrance contains one 40-stick bundle each of Kyoto Cherry Blossoms (beloved for its rhubarb notes) and Golden Pavilion (redolent of cinnamon and warmth). A colorfully glazed ceramic incense holder is also included, as are the 10 Virtues of Incense in both Japanese and English.

We have to stress that we have but a limited supply of these little lovelies remaining, so if you're still looking for a unique, thoughtful and high-quality gift that's very inexpensive, look no further and click on over to Shoyeido's website to order some of the gift packs before they're all gone. At this low price, you may just be able to work through a sizeable portion of your gift recipients list in one fell swoop.

To have a look at our other beautiful, inexpensive gift items, please visit our website at www.shoyeido.com or click here.

Shoyeido's own TiCorn performs Nwit Trankil

 

 

Nwit trankil ( Stille Nacht / Silent Night / Douce Nuit)

Haitian pop star TiCorn (who also happens to be Shoyeido's distributor in Europe) sends a seasonal musical greeting and best wishes for peace with this well known Christmas song, interpreted in four languages: Creole (lyrics by TiCorn), German, English and French.

TiCorn voye salwe nou avèk Nwit trankil (Silent night), yon bèl chante Nwèl ki ankouraje tout moun pou viv ansanm nan lapè.