When you catch a familiar scent, memories flood into your mind: visual impressions, people and feelings. Remember the first time you smelled patchouli incense? Does it conjure up for you a scene bathed with the emotional climate of a simpler time? Centuries ago, the Japanese elevated this phenomenon to a combination relaxation ritual/parlor game that developed into the tradition now called �koh-do.�

Koh-do has several spellings, among them koh-doh, koh-do and kodo. The root words are incense (koh) and �the way� or �ceremony� (do). Similar to other Japanese spiritual art forms such as the tea ceremony or flower arranging, it originated when Japanese courtiers back in the Heian period (794-1192) began to enjoy incense outside of religious rituals. Soon, people began creating original blends of incense wood, herbs, resins and spices, and showing them off at incense parties. Over time, a complicated set of games and rules developed for these parties, asking participants to remember particular smells and describe the impressions they received from each.

By the seventeenth century, the incense games had spread to all classes of Japanese, and the art of incense appreciation was even taught in special schools by professional masters. Today there are several schools still teaching these rules in Japan. Now, as with many traditional Japanese arts, people all around the world are interested again, both for the pleasure of developing one�s sense of smell and for the spiritual benefit of taking time to enjoy an item to the fullest.

Some of the incense games are hard for naturally competitive people to understand. The idea is to focus not so much on whether players are right or wrong as the enjoyment of the activity itself. Also, some of the imagery is not familiar. For example, one game describes a monk�s journey. The incense master burns three different kinds of incense with poetic names, like Autumn Wind, Mist in the Capital and Shirakawa Border Station. After sniffing each type through a stylized method of movement (designed to avoid spilling the burning incense or blowing ashes around the room), players are then asked to smell the incense again, out of order, and identify each one. Depending on the incense they remembered correctly, they are assigned another poetic phrase, such as Fallen Leaves, which means the player traveled with the monk, but took a long time and reached the destination just before winter hit.

While the traditional schools keep all the games, movements and poetry intact, the way of incense can still be accessible to people who do not train as koh-do students. For example, we can enjoy Japanese tea by taking time to breathe and sip, not necessarily by learning the details of the structured tea ceremony. When it comes to incense and scent, many variations and appreciation games come to mind.

Today�s players can experiment with memorizing various scents, honing the senses. You can come up with brand-new names for incense sticks or blends that mean something more personal than �Midnight Rain� or even �Nag Champa.� You can discuss with friends your memories and impressions brought out by jasmine, sandalwood or that old classic, patchouli. Incense, essential oils and fragrant herbs can open up a world of peaceful reflection if you take the time to appreciate it. Ultimately, koh-do reminds us to spend the time to truly experience scent, enriching our lives and memories in the process.

Web sites:

Koh-do groups in the U.S. http://www.oller.net/kodo-groups.htm

Directions on koh-do method of burning incense: http://www.sensia.com/kohdoh.htm

Additional information: http://www.nipponkodo.com/incense/index.html

Books:

The Book of Incense, Enjoying the Traditional Art of Japanese Scents by Kiyoko Morita -1992, Kodansha International Ltd.

Living Zen by Michael Paul - 2000, Abbeville Press

Kodo: The Way of Calm by David Pybus - 2001, Tuttle Publishing

Supplies:

Chopa, Zen home and gift: http://www.chopa.com/ShopSite/incense.html

Sensia: http://www.sensia.com/

Two Hundred Hands: http://www.200hands.com/kodo_supplies.html

 

 

 

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