Shoyeido's Horin Incense Assortment - 20 Sticks

Yes, these are smaller sticks. Yes, they are pricey compared to other brands. BUT SO WORTH IT. The scents are stunning. Deep, complex, rich, without the weird perfume of the cheap stuff. A little bit is enough to make my small home office smell divine, and a subtle aroma will linger for many hours.Shirakawa is a standout. This is a perfectly balanced woody spice blend that is so comforting. It’s strong without being overpowering and sweet without being cloying. It’s very natural, with so much depth that you don’t go nose-blind to it.Nijo is a lighter scent that Shirakawa, but has a similar “classic incense” feel. Familiar, but better. This is the good stuff. It’s subtle when lit, good for creating a mood for focus or quiet. More than the others, this has a lingering presence after it’s extinguished. There is a lovely ghost of Nijo long after the burn.Genroku is interesting. Herbal, light, but not wishy-washy. I found this to be the most gentle of the scents. Relaxing.Ten Pyo is complex and herbal. It is the most “perfumey” of them, in the way it hits the nose and the mood it evokes.Muromachi is an odd one. Unlit it smells very strongly of caramel. Lit, it’s gunpowder and wood. Not my favorite, but it might grow on me.

Samplers like this one are excellent if you want to test a variety of scents for a relatively inexpensive amount. I highly reccomend this if you're interested in getting higher quality incense for perfuming the air of your house.Ten Pyo (Peaceful Sky) has a very strong woodsy, herby smell that reminds me of pepper and burning green wood. Apparently kyara is one of the more prominent ingredients in this mix. I didn't initially like this scent, but it eventually began to be one of my more favored ones. However, I probably will not use this one in the future. Be warned, the smell is EXTREMELY strong and bold and lingers for a long time. Give it another try after the initial burn; I dont regret it.Muromachi (City of Culture) has a very strong note of almost caramel (but not exactly), and smells like wood. It has more of a two toned scent. Not so much a foodsy smell, but more like a candy, but far less sweet. (Bleh on that description. Try it, its better than what you'll read here)Genroku (Returning Spirit) is very green and herby. Its supposed to represent air? I guess? Not very airy, but if you dont mind green scents, it's pleasant. Less powerful than Peaceful Sky, but has different overtones.Shirakawa (White River) isnt exactly like River Path, but is similar. Still, both are distinct scents. Its almost sweeter? But it is still a cinnamony, yummy scent that isnt overwhelming in the odor of spice. I personally liked it a lot.Lastly, Nijo (Avenue of the Villa) is a light, fresh scent that reminds me of a variety of fresh, indistinct flowers. Other people have described it as a walk through a street after a gentle rain, lined with houses, each having their own garden. A bit too poetic for me, but it smells fresh and lightly flowery. One that I prefer.Hope this helps whoever is interested in buying this, and potentially picks out a favorite scent. I know I settled on Avenue of the Villa because of this pack, and I can now see why White River/River Path are so popular. All of these scents are exceptional in their own right; there are definitely places and times where Peaceful Sky or Returning Spirit would fit more than, say, a boquet of flowers.

Comparing Shoyeido brand to the the best of Indian incenses there is a night and day difference. Shoyeido incense has no center wood so the smoke is much lighter, more like vapor. The scents are sophisticated and charming. I got Horikawa coil version incense (not in this set) first. I was hooked, then got this sampler set and many more scents later from their brand 😅 so happy I found this brand.As you can see I almost used the whole package in less than a week. Incense are about 2.5-3 inch long they burn about 15-20 min but they have such long lasting smell even after few hours in rooms you burned them. In terms of ranking Shirakawa is my fav in this set and then Nijo. Shirakawa was also closest to Horikawa but less deep and a bit lighter note. Nijo smelled a bit like soap. Tenpyo was light but not very memorble. If you like herbal scents and less sweet go with Muromachi and Genroku. The package is beautiful too and it comes with a ceramic coin shape holder which works great since incenses are very light.

I like the presentation of this sample set. It is made of a vibrant thick material and comes with 5 scents of 4 each. A small coin holder is also included. I was surprised that the sticks were only 2.75 inches tall though. My favorite is the Shirakawa (maroon) and the least is the Muromachi (tan). Still happy with the purchase.

These incenses are delightful. Subtle, complex. The only issue is that they burn fast, but the quality of the fragrances is very high. Right now my favorite is the Nijo variety, which is a base of sandalwood, with a nice note of damp straw. It reminds me of the fall.

Upon opening the package I am overwhelmed by a sweet mixture of caramel and sheet type fabric softener. Based on the description was expecting something more classical that showcased the wood. I will update this review if my perception changes, but out of the gate I feel overwhelmed by the sweetness.

The scents of these incense sticks is subtle, not too overpowering. Will try to find them as full-sized sticks so I can enjoy the lingering scent even longer.

Pricey, but all Horin incense is expensive. I ordered more of the Nijo because it is the most distinctive and the least expensive. All are good and a great way to get acquainted with the different styles.