Shoyeido
Shoyeido (松榮堂、松栄堂 Shōeidō) is the oldest traditional Japanese incense company, established more than 300 years ago, producing high quality, natural incense. It is based in Kyoto.
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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.
Stores [edit]
Shoyeido has 7 retail stores. There are 2 in Kyōto, 3 in Tōkyō, 1 in Sapporo, and 1 in Boulder, Colorado, USA.
Incense [edit]
Shoyeido carries several series of incense. The 2 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.
Daily Incense (京線香 Kyō-senkō)
| 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 |
Premium Incense (高級線香 Kōkyū-senkō)
| 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 [edit]
- Kōdō (Japanese Incense Ceremony)