Here is a run down on the major incense stores in Kyoto. With the exception of Lisn, all are shinise (old, traditional stores). Japanese incense makes for excellent gifts and souvenirs to take home.
Shoyeido (松栄堂)
Shoyeido, also spelled Shoeido (and pronounced ‘shoeido’) started in 1705 and offers a huge variety of the highest quality traditional Japanese incense, incense burners and other related traditional tools and accoutrements used to burn and appreciate incense in Japan. Shoyeido is a purveyor to the head temples of all the major Japanese Buddhist sects. Shoyeido has two locations in Kyoto, several in Tokyo and one in Hokkaido.
Shoyeido is where I buy my incense for burning at home, usually Horikawa and Genroku.
In my experience, Shoyeido while the store has class, I always feel a haughty chill from the staff. I recall once walking out and saying to myself, I could have received the same service from a robot. Oh well, Kyoto is not a place known for its warmth.
Kyoto Honten (main store) 松栄堂京都本店
tel: 075-212-5590
website: http://www.shoyeido.co.jp
address: Kyoto-shi, Nakagyo-ku, Karasuma-dori, Nijo-agaru, Higashigawa(京都市中京区烏丸通二条上ル東側)
map: OpenKyoto/KyotoFoodie Map
The Kyoto Main Store is located on the east side of Karasuma Street 2 1/2 blocks south of the Karasuma-Marutamachi intersection. Marutamachi Station on the Karasuma Subway Line is the closest station. Shoyeido is about a 5 minute walk to Kyoto Gosho Imperial Palace to the north and to the Kyoto International Manga Museum to the south.
Yamada Matsu (山田松香木店)
Yamada Matsu began around 1790 and is a purveyor of very fine incense and implements used in the burning and appreciation of Japanese incense.
My experience with Yamada Matsu much more limited than the other stores mentioned in this post. It seems to me that if you know something about Japanese incense you can find what you are looking for here. I never quite know what to buy here and have never been really impressed with the incense that I bought. The showroom is very nice. At friends’ houses though, I have experienced Yamada Matsu incense that impressed me. (I will keep shopping there and update this with more insight, hopefully.)
Yamada Matsu is located on Muromachi-dori street a short walk to the west from Kyoto Gosho Imperial Palace.
tel: 075-441-1123
website: http://www.yamadamatsu.co.jp
address: Kyoto-shi, Kamigyo-ku, Muromachi-dori Shimodachiuri-agaru, Kageyukoji-cho 164 (京都市上京区室町通下立売上ル勘解由小路町164)
map: OpenKyoto/KyotoFoodie Map
Kyukyodo (鳩居堂)
Kyukyodo started in 1663 as an apothecary, the business soon expanded to incense and painted and calligraphic stationary. Kyukyodo is a one-stop shop for all manner of traditional tools and art objects related to calligraphy and painting, incense, tea ceremony, fans, washi paper and so on. Many beautiful and seasonal illustrated postcards, stationary sets, calendars and so on are also available. Kyukyodo is a great place to purchase some Kyoto-style souvenirs! There is also a store in Ginza, Tokyo.
My favorite incense at Kyukyodo is not the variety that is burned but a kind of sachet, not at all ‘girly’. They can be put in a wardrobe to give clothing a wonderful fragrance and under your pillow, for sublime dreams.
tel: 075-231-0510
website: http://www.kyukyodo.co.jp (Japanese only)
address: Kyoto-shi, Nakagyo-ku, Teramachi Anekoji-agaru, Shimohonnojimae-cho 520 (京都市中京区寺町姉小路上ル下本能寺前町520)
map: OpenKyoto/KyotoFoodie Map
Kyukyodo is located in the Teramachi Street Shopping Arcade at the north-west corner of Teramachi and Anekoji streets. It is about a 2 minute walk south from Oike Street. The closest station is Shiyakushomae (city hall), on the Tozai Subway Line.
Lisn
Lisn is a relatively new company started by Shoyeido whose tagline is “Sophisticated incense for listeners by Shoyeido Incense Co.”
Listeners? At first (some years ago) I thought that this brand was intended for people serious about music appreciation or something. But, to ‘listen’ to a fragrance is an expression for classical Japanese court life. I guess that if you have time to ‘listen’ to smells, life must be great!
Lisn’s line on incense has never impressed me. It is all about presentation. I would guess that the scents are chemically created and not especially novel as compared to what is available in Western countries. Lisn does offer a plethora of scents to choose from, they have more than 200!
The white, minimalist store is quite interesting. All the multicolored incense varieties are spread out on wavy glass sheets and you go make your way through the store with a self service tray that a staff member at the door has forced into your hands – whether or not you want to shop or just browse. (Not very Kyoto-style service.) Lisn also has stores in Tokyo and Helsinki.
Hokey fragrance names include: Virginal, Hit My Soul, Since, Mother’s Chest, Chuckling Wool, Visible. Did someone spend too much time flipping through a dictionary, and not enough time actually learning English?
Prices are fairly reasonable, compared to Shoyeido. However, you only get 10 sticks rather than 20.
The Kyoto store is located in the Cocon Karasuma shopping center located just south of the intersection of Shijo and Karasuma streets. A 1 minute walk from the Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Railway or Karasuma Subway Line.
website: http://www2.lisn.co.jp
tel: 075-353-6466
address: Kyoto-shi, Shimogyo-ku, Karasuma-dori Shijo Sagaru Cocon (京都市下京区烏丸通四条下ル 古今)
map: OpenKyoto/KyotoFoodie Map
Take Away: You might like Lisn, but the other incense companies mentioned above are have been loved by the people of Kyoto over the centuries and offer quality traditional fragrances that ought to be very difficult to find abroad. If you are a designer or marketer, the Lisn store, and all of Cocon ought to be of interest to you.
