JCC E-Magazine June 2019

Grand Master Higashi Gyoka introducing the art of incense burning.

On Friday, 31 May 2019, JCC (Japan Creative Centre) presented “Discovering Fragrances Through Kodo ~ Incense Burning Ceremony with Ms Higashi Gyoka ~”.

Grand Master Higashi Gyoka and her disciples led this exclusive event where she explained to the participants that incense ceremonies were steeped in deep history like tea ceremonies and flower arrangement, but was somewhat like a game. Participants had to identify and record down the scents that were passed around the room correctly. With five different scents, 52 scent combinations were available. Each combination corresponds to a different chapter of the famous tale, The Tale of Genji.

During the incense burning ceremony, participants attempted to identify the five scents that Grand Master Higashi prepared. These scents came from centuries-old fragrance woods, which Grand Master Higashi had brought over from Japan for the participants to experience. As it is a rare natural material, only a bit of it is burned each time. After participants recorded down their answers, they were marked and five participants managed to identify the scents combinations correctly and were given the answer scrolls as prizes.

Identifying the scents.

Grand Master Higashi preparing the scents.		Identifying the scents.
Participants recording their answers.		Answers being marked by Grand Master’s disciples.
Participants checking their answers on the answer scroll.		One of the five participants who identified the scent combinations correctly receiving his prize.

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