Nippon Kodo traces its incense-making lineage back to 1575 and has operated as a modern company since 1965, making it one of the oldest continuously producing incense houses in Japan. This collection features the brand's Morning Star line and other Japanese incense sticks in sandalwood, sage, vanilla, and rose.
Centuries of Japanese Incense Craft
The company's roots go back to Jyuemon Takai, an incense maker to the Japanese Imperial court, with the modern Nippon Kodo Group established in 1965. Its flagship Mainichi-Koh line dates to 1912, and Morning Star remains its most widely recognized incense internationally.
Low-Smoke, Consistent Burn
Japanese incense making favors finer, more finely milled ingredients than Indian masala incense, which typically produces a lighter, less smoky burn — a good fit for smaller rooms or anyone sensitive to heavier incense smoke.
Getting Started with Japanese Incense
Nippon Kodo sticks are shorter and thinner than many Indian incense sticks and pair well with a simple ash-catcher holder; see Incense Sticks. Burn on a heatproof surface away from drafts and flammable material.
