Shoyeido
"Fragrance of Okunoyama Tea Garden"

Shoyeido "Fragrance of Okunoyama Tea Garden"

The name Iori carries the sense of “a place gently apart from the everyday.” It echoes the quiet and spaciousness of a tea room, evoking a moment of calm within the busyness of daily life. Together with Shoyeido, we have created fragrances that signal the beginning of a tea gathering.

The Story of Development

Words by Fujimoto, Incense Blender, Shoyeido

Our encounter with Horii Shichimeien began at a party hosted by a contemporary artist. There, we tasted a roasted tea blended by Mr. Horii—an unforgettable tea unlike any we had ever experienced.

Later, we were asked: “Could you create a fragrance inspired by Okunoyama Tea Garden?” Along with this request, we received keywords such as “deep green and earth,” “voices of tea-pickers in stillness,” and “the future.”

To create the fragrance, we visited Uji during the harvest season. We observed the scenes of work in the tea fields and the freshly picked leaves being processed in the factory.

From these experiences, we proposed three fragrance concepts based on the theme of Okunoyama Tea Garden. Once the direction was set, we refined the blend through repeated trials—“retaining freshness while adding depth”—until a single fragrance was born.

“Okunoyama Tea Garden”
Based on the traditional blending of incense, this fragrance evokes a landscape where fresh breezes sweep across the tea fields and verdant earth.

Originally, the project was to conclude here. Yet in the process of creating Okunoyama Tea Garden, a memory resurfaced: the roasted tea shared at that contemporary artist’s party—the very first encounter with Horii Shichimeien.

Though it was not requested, we wondered: “Would it not be fascinating to express the Horii Shichimeien brand itself in fragrance?” A brand deeply rooted in Uji tea tradition, devoted to quality, carrying centuries of history, while also collaborating with contemporary artists. Through trial, and to everyone’s delight, another fragrance was born.

 “Horii Shichimeien”
A fragrance that honors the inherited value of Uji tea while seeking new expressions for the future—capturing the essence of Horii Shichimeien.

The Form of Incense

We also placed importance on form. Normally, incense is pressed into cylindrical sticks through round molds. For Horii Shichimeien, however, the incense is crafted in a unique heptagonal shape—seven sides, reflecting the name of the house.

Because heptagons are prone to breaking or bending during drying, it was only through many trials with skilled artisans that this shape was realized. Taking on such challenges brought meaning not only to the fragrance itself but to the making process as well.

We hope you will enjoy both the fragrance and the care embodied in its form.

Words by Fujimoto, Incense Blender, Shoyeido

香老舗 松栄堂

烏丸二条に創業して以来、三百余年。一貫して薫香製造を生業としてきた香老舗。 天然の香料でしか作り得ない繊細で深みのある香りを作り出すため、東南アジアを中心とした各国から原料の調達にもこだわる。 伝統的な製法をそのままに職人の手で丹念につくる一方、職人に劣ることのない品質を、 安定して供給できる新しい技術も積極的に取り入れて製造を行う。 初心者から本格的にお香に携わる人まであらゆるニーズに応えられる幅広い香りを提案し続ける。

庵 -Iori- by Horii Shichimeien

Iori is a brand inspired by the idea of “a small tea hermitage, quietly open within modern life.” It gently weaves together the aesthetic spirit of authentic Japanese craftsmanship —honmamon — with our own contemporary sensibilities.

  Guided by the spirit of fueki-ryūkō — the timeless held in harmony with the new — Iori stands softly between Japan and the world, practicality and poetry, breathing a fresh, modern expression into objects nurtured through generations.

  Since our founding in 1879, we have devoted ourselves to the craft of tea. Through this long engagement with tea-making, we have cultivated a spirit — a way of approaching creation, and an aesthetic sensibility rooted in tea culture.

  This spirit forms the foundation of Iori. With it as our quiet backbone, we shape products that gently accompany the cadence of contemporary living.