Shoyeido (Japanese: 松榮堂、松栄堂, Hepburn: Shōeidō), established in 1705 by Hata Rokuberi (a.k.a. Moriyoshi Rokuzaemon Hata[1] and Rokubei Moritsune Hata[2]), an employee of Kyoto's Imperial Palace and an incense hobbyist,[3] is one of the oldest incense companies in Japan.[3] The company is based in Kyoto,[4] with shops in five cities in Japan, and one in America.[5]
Shoyeido is credited for bringing incense to the Western world at the end of the 19th century.[6]
History
editThe first Shoyeido shop at the corner of Nijo and Karasuma streets was set up in 1705 by members of the Hata family, who were previously employees of the Imperial royal court. Exports to the West started in 1894.[7]
Name
edit
The name "Shoyeido" (Shōeidō) is derived from the three characters Shō, Ei, and Dō.
- Shō means "Pine tree"
- Ei is the ancient sound meaning "Prosperity"
- Dō is a store or company.
The Shō is from the traditional Sho Chiku Bai trio of shō (松 pine tree), chiku (竹 bamboo) and bai (梅 plum tree), which are used as a traditional Japanese grading system, to represent varying degrees of quality. In this grading system, shō represents the highest grade or quality.
Activities
editShoyeido had 140 employees and made $30 million in sales in 1999. It manufactures most of its products in a facility in Nagaoka-kyō. Il also owns an artisanal shop near Karasuma where it preserves the craftsmanship of incense-making and fills custom orders.[7]
Shoyeido still uses its +300 year old secret recipe for religious orders.[7]
Shoyeido is still a family business, today run by the twelfth generation of the Hata family.[7]
Shoyeido has several stores in Japan across five cities, including four in Kyōto, three in Tōkyō, one in Sapporo, and one in Boulder, Colorado, USA.[5] Shoyeido also manages the store LISN in Kyōto since 2004, which is specifically designed for the customers unfamiliar with the world of incense.[6]
Incense
editShoyeido carries several series of incense. The two main series are the "Daily Incense" series (京線香, Kyō-senkō) and the "Premium Incense" series (高級線香, Kōkyū-senkō). The following tables are ordered from least expensive to most expensive.
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Great Origin | 大元香 | Daigen-kō |
| Eternal Treasure | 寶永香 | Hōei-kō |
| Orchid | 蘭華 | Ranka |
| Kyoto Autumn Leaves | 京にしき | Kyō-nishiki |
| Moss Garden | のきば | Nokiba |
| Golden Pavilion | 金閣 | Kin-kaku |
| Kyoto Cherry Blossom | 京桜 | Kyō-zakura |
| Five Hills | 五山 | Go-zan |
| White Cloud | 白雲 | Haku-un |
| Circle | 円明 | En-mei |
| Fresh Breeze | 清風 | Sei-fū |
| Low smoke series | ||
| Silhouette | ほのか | Honoka |
| Gossamer | かすみ | Kasumi |
| Illusions | おぼろ | Oboro |
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Friend of Pine | 松の友 | Matsu-no-tomo |
| King's Aroma | 王奢香 | Ōja-kō |
| Pride of Kyoto | 京自慢 | Kyō-jiman |
| Beckoning Spring | 春陽 | Shun-yō |
| Gentle Smile | 微笑 | Mishō |
| Southern Wind | 南薫 | Nan-kun |
| Refinement | 雅芳 | Ga-hō |
| Five Clouds | 五雲 | Go-un |
| Infinity | 妙芳 | Myō-hō |
| Translucent Path | 正覚 | Shō-kaku |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Company History". shoyeido.co.jp.
- ^ "About Us". shoyeido.com.
- ^ a b Kiyoko Morita (30 Oct 2006). The Book of Incense: Enjoying the Traditional Art of Japanese Scents. Kodansha International. p. 119.
- ^ "Company History". Shoyeido Incense Company. Archived from the original on 2013-11-10. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
- ^ a b Judika Illes (1 Aug 2007). Pure Magic: A Complete Course in Spellcasting. Weiser Books. p. 317. ISBN 9781609252564.
- ^ a b Kitamura, Katie (8 July 2007). "Kyoto: LISN". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Waddell, David (1999-11-05). "Incense maker going strong 12 generations into business". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
External links
edit- Shoyeido website (available in English and Japanese)