Overview Materials Return Policy

Date:

March 11th, Wednesday at 12-1:30 ~~and a second session at 3:30-5~~
March 12th, Thursday at 12-1:30 ~~and a second session at 3:30-5~~
March 13th, Friday at 12-1:30 ~~and a second session at 3:30-5~~

Out of concern for lingering scents, we chose not to schedule a second session.

Fee: $75 / person

Eligibility: Participation is limited to adults aged 18+

This workshop introduces participants to the fundamentals of Kōdō, the traditional Japanese art of appreciating incense, through a structured and immersive experience.

1. Kōdō Installation An atmospheric introduction designed to engage the senses and establish a calm, focused setting for the workshop.

2. History of Kōdō A concise overview of Kōdō’s origins and cultural significance in Japan, tracing its development over roughly 1,500 years.

3. Foundations of Kōdō: Rikkoku Gomi and Kumiko An educational segment covering the core concepts of incense appreciation:

Rikkoku Gomi (Six Regions, Five Tastes): A traditional system for classifying incense aromas.

Kumiko (Incense Blending): The practice of combining aromatic woods to create balanced compositions.

4. How to Enjoy Kōdō Practical guidance on etiquette, posture, and mindful techniques for experiencing incense with intention and awareness.

5. Genjikō Experience A hands-on, game-like activity based on a classical Kōdō practice. Participants smell different incense samples and identify patterns, blending sensory perception with quiet concentration and intellectual play rooted in classical Japanese literature.

Note: This experience involves the use of small, carefully controlled charcoal heat sources.

Requirements:
Participation is limited to adults aged 18 and older. Workshop confirmed once 5 participants register (max 13). 2 days before each workshop we will confirm participation requirements. Please purchase tickets no later than 2 days before workshop. A workshop waiver is required to be filled out and returned via email before event.

Scent-free policy: Please arrive scent-free. Do not wear perfume/cologne or use strongly scented lotions, hair products, oils, or sprays. If a participant’s scent interferes with the workshop, organizers may refuse entry or ask them to leave without a refund.

History:
Kōdō is the traditional Japanese art of appreciating incense, centered on the act of gently warming aromatic woods and attending to their subtle fragrance. Rather than burning incense, prized woods are heated just enough to release their scent, which is considered a gift from nature and, historically, from the heavens. This practice is known as Monkō, meaning “listening to incense,” and reflects the idea that fragrance is experienced with both the senses and the mind.

Over time, the quiet act of listening to incense evolved into a more structured cultural practice. Methods of appreciation were formalized, tools were standardized, and etiquette developed around posture, movement, and attention. Monkō was also known as Icchūgiki or Kanshōkō, all terms emphasizing contemplation and discernment rather than consumption.

By the classical period, incense appreciation expanded into an intellectual and social activity called Kumikō, in which participants compared and identified different aromatic woods. These gatherings often took the form of refined guessing games that combined sensory perception with memory and pattern recognition. Incense was also closely linked to poetry, seasonal awareness, and classical literature, allowing fragrance to deepen cultural and aesthetic experiences.

Through these developments, Kōdō came to be recognized alongside the tea ceremony and flower arrangement as one of Japan’s three classical arts of refinement, preserving a tradition that values patience, attentiveness, and quiet beauty.

Materials Provided:
Participants will receive an instruction explaining the art of Kōdō (the Japanese incense ceremony) and a souvenir (Japanese incense by Nippon Kodo) to take home.

Workshops are final sale. The ticket is transferable, and it’d be appreciated if it could be updated to include the new participants’ names.

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