About-Okuno seimeido

Sakai Incense - the first to be manufactured in Japan

日本で最初に製造された堺線香

In the 15th Century, The old port of Sakai was an important trade center between Japan, the Ming Dynasty in China and south-east Asia. Aloeswood (also known as Agarwood) and Sandalwood were some of the important trade goods from overseas which were imported here.Kyara is Japanese for the highest grade of Aloeswood, and Jinko is the standard variety. Byakudan is the Japanese name for Sandalwood. In those days, Sakai was a strong economic power through its trade. A golden age of culture blossomed and sophisticated incense preparation methods were studied and developed on a large scale.

In the 16th century, today’s well known stick incense was introduced from China and the first production in Japan was in Sakai. Since the Edo period (1603-1868) traditional compounding and production techniques have been refined and passed down. Incense continues to be produced in Sakai to this today.

Our Incense is made by blending powdered Aloeswood and other fragrances. At its base is the powdered bark from a species of laurel (Machilus thunbergii); used because it is virtually odorless and doesn’t produce much smoke.By adding water to the powdered laurel bark it becomes highly sticky; this is necessary for producing linear-shaped ‘sticks’.

堺旧港は15世紀頃遣明貿易や東南アジア交易の日本の基地として、海外から様々な舶載品が輸入され、沈香・白檀などの香料も重要な交易品でありました。 当時の堺はそれら貿易によって強大な経済力を持ち、絢爛たる文化の花が開き、「お香」の調合法も大いに研究されたのです。

現在の線状になったお線香は、16世紀に中国からその製法が伝えられ「堺」に於いて製造したのが線香製造のはじまりであるとされ、江戸時代以降は、今もその伝統技法と調合方法を受け継いでこの地で作られ続けています。

お線香は、『椨の木』皮を乾燥させて粉にしたものを基材に、沈香などの天然原料やその他香料を調合して作ります。椨の木の皮は、粉末にして焚いても匂いが少なく、様々な香りの邪魔をしません。 この粉末に水分を加えると、適当な粘りけがでて棒状に加工する線香造りには大変重要な役目を果たしています。

History and Development of Okuno Seimeido

沿革

年代	出来事
kyoho period（1716～1736）	Founding by Kyujiro JINKO-YA（沈香屋久次朗）
Early Meiji period　(1868～1912）	Rename Okuno Seimei-do　奥野晴明堂に改名
1973	KIWAMI Setsu Getsu Ka Release 極　雪月花発売
1993	Sakai Design Association Award 堺デザイン協会理事長賞受賞

Company Overview

会社概要