Kyara

#21
Yea, it looks just like that. But the one I have is kakuwari, the symmetrical square cuts. I read about a small percentage of very picky collectors, mostly Chinese, that can isolate a paulownia smell. Personally, I think it is just preference. I say this because the same argument can be made against the Chinese practice of storing multiple kilograms of various Kyara in a metal safe all together. I find it ironic that a very faint paulownia smell, if any because mine was picked out due to lack of smell, is a an issue, but the more possible occurrence of mixing unique kyara smells together is not an issue. Not to mention a metal safe can have some rust as well. To me I really just believe it is just a matter of Chinese vs Japanese method. But of course, I can be utterly erroneous on this topic. Truth of the matter is that it would be a shame to remove the cuts from the washi paper and put it in glass. I feel presentation is just as important as the contents, and the Japanese have had centuries tried methods. Like a turmeric dyed chimiri furoshiki used to wrap precious wood, and then put in an odorless paulownia box. I have paid hundreds for boxes to just give them away because of the odor, it took time and circumstance to get the right boxes for the Kyara. I have had custom made boxes from japan and gave them away 8 times. Finally, I took a long shot and emailed japanincenes and I got a box with no distinguishable odor. But it is just as important to wrap the wood in a furoshiki, in this case the envelope. It takes some OCD to get it right.
 
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#25
Yea, it looks just like that. But the one I have is kakuwari, the symmetrical square cuts. I read about a small percentage of very picky collectors, mostly Chinese, that can isolate a paulownia smell. Personally, I think it is just preference. I say this because the same argument can be made against the Chinese practice of storing multiple kilograms of various Kyara in a metal safe all together. I find it ironic that a very faint paulownia smell, if any because mine was picked out due to lack of smell, is a an issue, but the more possible occurrence of mixing unique kyara smells together is not an issue. Not to mention a metal safe can have some rust as well. To me I really just believe it is just a matter of Chinese vs Japanese method. But of course, I can be utterly erroneous on this topic. Truth of the matter is that it would be a shame to remove the cuts from the washi paper and put it in glass. I feel presentation is just as important as the contents, and the Japanese have had centuries tried methods. Like a turmeric dyed chimiri furoshiki used to wrap precious wood, and then put in an odorless paulownia box. I have paid hundreds for boxes to just give them away because of the odor, it took time and circumstance to get the right boxes for the Kyara. I have had custom made boxes from japan and gave them away 8 times. Finally, I took a long shot and emailed japanincenes and I got a box with no distinguishable odor. But it is just as important to wrap the wood in a furoshiki, in this case the envelope. It takes some OCD to get it right.
Yes I have the kakuwari too and they are also packed in the same way.

Agreed with you that it is matter of preference by the Chinese. Perhaps they use stainless steel and who knows; if they are able to pick out the faint paulownia note, surely they will pick up the rusty smell if any.

While I agree presentation is important, storage of the wood in its most pristine condition is of the highest priority for me. No matter what type of wood you use for the storage box, personally I do not think it is possible at all to achieve complete odorless. My Kyara pieces are not big pieces (wish I can afford that!) and I think they look quite presentable in glass bottles as well.


Of course one could always beautify the box that store the glass bottles. I view the box as the 'furoshiki' equivalent.

Ebony box with vintage Japanese tango chirimen silk lining for the interior and cover.

 
#28
Oh wow, that is way out of my league. Did you get the seal on the glass bottle put on by the company that sold you the Kyara? Or was it something you managed to remove from the original packaging.
I used the company stickers that come with all the packaging. You can see it in my previous picture showing the package.

Close up picture of the sticker.


This is my first time smelling Kyara, aside from baiedo Kyara kokoh stick, and it is so different from that regular oudy smell. Its so floral and up lifting. I can even notice the bitter note the japanese describe, most like an aristocrat indeed, .
Though I agree with most here that Kyara does not offer much diverse scent profile akin to normal agarwood, you hit the jackpot when you described the smell as up lifting. If you have the opportunity, try to get hold of the Kyara granules from Shoyeido, personally I think it is a cut above the kakuwari.

 
#29
Yea, I can see the oil seeping out. I am very weary when it comes to burning or heating woods. Even my sandalwood I do not like to touch unless it is a non mysore sandalwood. Something like Kyara, in my opinion, does not even need to be heated the smell just permeates from the source. I usually burn woods that go for $10-$12 a gram. When it starts to hit $20 range or SS I start to slow down on how much I burn. Basically, if the wood has aroma at room temperature I save it for solemn occasion or introduce it to someone for the first time. I guess that is why to me it is such a difference from the normal Aloeswood I burn. The Kyara smell from Yama damatsu reminds me of sweet betel nuts that come in a pack that people from India or SE Asia sometimes chew. Maybe it is just my nose, but it smells just like the way sweet betel nut tastes and smells. I dont know if you ever had pan masala but it is something like that. Usually the Sandalwood, Agarwood, Clove, Star Anise and Cinnamon or Cassia combination that is so popular with Japanese Incenses creates that type of aroma, aside from any religious meaning., perhaps it is just a popular scent to capture in Asian countries. I didnt even get to smell the Shoyeido Kyara yet, I probably should compare considering I just got it.
 

Nikhil S

Well-Known Member
#33
Whatever Kyara I ve tried was more or less similar to top grade wild incense grade Agarwood. Kyara is quite perfumey at room temperature. Just doesn't make sense. Some of the Black Kyara chips look like medium quality agarwood soaked in our and painted with varnish. Only God knows the truth. As for me, if you can get hold of some wild North East Indian Agarwood like the best grade its totally GOLD. And burns for like 20 minutes. It has so much resin yet on the surface it doesn't look anything like Kyara. Although I have some vintage Laosi our nuggets with thick fossilized resin inside that burns like Kyara on low heat. I don't find merit in Kyara wood from the general market personally. At times I feel the word "Kyara" is simply a fancy exotic terminology like Candan for Hirta. Like for Oils I have really started believing it's mostly a fancy way to keep market going. Complex profiles this that. When it comes to burning wood you only find the most satisfying simple smell that has no olfactory fireworks but is extremely capable of being a supreme perfume on clothes.
 
#34
Whatever Kyara I ve tried was more or less similar to top grade wild incense grade Agarwood. Kyara is quite perfumey at room temperature. Just doesn't make sense. Some of the Black Kyara chips look like medium quality agarwood soaked in our and painted with varnish. Only God knows the truth. As for me, if you can get hold of some wild North East Indian Agarwood like the best grade its totally GOLD. And burns for like 20 minutes. It has so much resin yet on the surface it doesn't look anything like Kyara. Although I have some vintage Laosi our nuggets with thick fossilized resin inside that burns like Kyara on low heat. I don't find merit in Kyara wood from the general market personally. At times I feel the word "Kyara" is simply a fancy exotic terminology like Candan for Hirta. Like for Oils I have really started believing it's mostly a fancy way to keep market going. Complex profiles this that. When it comes to burning wood you only find the most satisfying simple smell that has no olfactory fireworks but is extremely capable of being a supreme perfume on clothes.
I think the worth of Kyara has been debated many times and it is just a matter of individual preferences.
 

Nikhil S

Well-Known Member
#35
I think the worth of Kyara has been debated many times and it is just a matter of individual preferences.
Individual preference indeed. But, kyara/kinam, unarguably has been described as the nadir of Oud experience. It does fall into scientific perspective like most other significant things. However, for my perspective I have only used the aromatic aspect of it. And sadly enough it isnt too impressive at the moment. However, I will wait definitely try a KohDo session in Japan to try and understand it. I maybe missing a few important pieces in the puzzle.
 
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Ensar Oud

Well-Known Member
#36
Whatever Kyara I ve tried was more or less similar to top grade wild incense grade Agarwood. Kyara is quite perfumey at room temperature. Just doesn't make sense. Some of the Black Kyara chips look like medium quality agarwood soaked in our and painted with varnish.
Where did you source it from?
 

PEARL

Well-Known Member
#37
I think the worth of Kyara has been debated many times and it is just a matter of individual preferences.
Indeed. I've heated and have some kyara/Kinam by way of the wood itself and incense. For me it is a unique experience yet an experience that I personally wouldn't continually pay a premium to experience, but that's more about budget and not fragrance. With that said, the Kinam I currently have I will only heat on special occasion; budget notwithstanding I wouldn't heat anything less than the quality of Ranjatai or Kou-jin and I'd wear ~.2gms of Chugoku Senkoh daily.
 
#38
Whatever Kyara I ve tried was more or less similar to top grade wild incense grade Agarwood. Kyara is quite perfumey at room temperature. Just doesn't make sense. Some of the Black Kyara chips look like medium quality agarwood soaked in our and painted with varnish. Only God knows the truth. As for me, if you can get hold of some wild North East Indian Agarwood like the best grade its totally GOLD. And burns for like 20 minutes. It has so much resin yet on the surface it doesn't look anything like Kyara. Although I have some vintage Laosi our nuggets with thick fossilized resin inside that burns like Kyara on low heat. I don't find merit in Kyara wood from the general market personally. At times I feel the word "Kyara" is simply a fancy exotic terminology like Candan for Hirta. Like for Oils I have really started believing it's mostly a fancy way to keep market going. Complex profiles this that. When it comes to burning wood you only find the most satisfying simple smell that has no olfactory fireworks but is extremely capable of being a supreme perfume on clothes.
Truly I was also quite surprised when the Kyara was so floral and sweet. I thought it was going to be very bitter. I can also relate to how you said that it is similar to top grade agarwood. The best agarwood has floral scent at room temperture. Like TAKE chips from Shoyeido, TAKE means bamboo in japanese though I am not sure why they call it that, is floral right from envelope and as you progress up the ranks of quality they become more fragrant. Matsu grade, the way I perceive the aroma, is like a gentle sweet clove aroma at room temperature. But when I had a whiff of Kyara, I couldnt believe the intensity of the smell. I probably will never heat my Kyara. Kyara really is getting more expensive. Aside from all that I can understand and relate a lot more now to the Chinese tradition of making beads and carvings. The amount of money spent on Kyara, how can anyone heat it? Unless it is a very very small amount and from judging by the aroma at room temperature, you really do not need much at all, maybe half of a grain of rice worth. And if money is not the issue, then the rarity of the material surely must be. I always used to wonder if I won the lottery what would I do with some of it after investing and giving to charity, I surely know now. eeeesh
 
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