Daigonosakura cherry blossom incense, 60 sticks

At a glance

- A gentle floral for afternoon tea with friends or family, soft enough to sit behind conversation rather than in front of it
- True-to-flower cherry blossom sweetness, closer to petals than perfume
- Modest smoke, suited to smaller rooms
- 60 sticks, each burning around 20 to 30 minutes

Some afternoons are made for slowing down with people you're close to: tea poured, something small to eat, no particular agenda. Daigo no Sakura is built for exactly that kind of gathering, a gentle floral that sits quietly in the room rather than competing with the conversation.

The scent takes its name from Daigo no Hanami, the celebrated cherry blossom viewing Toyotomi Hideyoshi held at Kyoto's Daigo-ji temple in 1598, one of the most famous flower gatherings in Japanese history. True to the flower rather than an amplified version of it, the fragrance carries a soft sweetness with modest smoke, closer to petals and soft air than to spectacle.

It comes from Kungyokudo, often cited as Japan's oldest continuing incense house, founded in 1594 near Kyoto's Nishi Hongan-ji temple, whose restrained, precise blending style carries through here.

Each stick burns for around 20 to 30 minutes, long enough for tea to be poured twice. Sixty sticks come in the box.

Light one before people arrive, and let the room do some of the welcoming for you.