 ccording to legend,
during the seventh century A.D. a large piece of agar wood washed up on the shores of the island of Awaji.
The wood was buried, and over time it developed a beautiful aroma. Prince Shotoku presented this wood to the Emperor,
who was so taken by the fragrance that began importing this aromatic wood from China or Korea. To this day,
agar wood, known as jinkoh (or "sinking wood") in Japanese, plays an important role in
Japanese Ko-doh (literally, "journey of the fragrance") ceremonies. These ceremonies were developed during the
Ashikaga era (1350 to 1500 A.D.) as a result of the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa's interest in the classification of all
incense-burning substances. As is true with tea ceremonies and
Ikebana, the Ko-doh ceremony serves to raise the
human spirit to higher levels. For Ko-doh ceremonies, people in Japan usually
use agar wood and sandalwood.
Agar wood has a balsamic, ambergris, woody, deep fragrance that is often described as sweet, spicy, bitter and sour. The agar tree belongs to the Thymelacae family and has branches
like the outstretched wings of an eagle. The Japanese only use agar wood for incense burning when it has been infected by
fungus (Aspergillus sp. and Fusarium sp.) which creates a resin that produces the fragrant substance. The
fragrance of agar wood is deeply relaxing and balancing. Japanese scientists studied its effects in 1993 and determined
that it is a strong sedative and extends sleep periods. |
