aromatherapy assessment sheets

During the Kamakura period, (1185-1333) the Japanese began using raw woods as incense, and to present these woods in casual settings as well as in formal entertainment and religious ceremony.

In Hong Kong, Kyara is often divided into four types: Yellow, Black, Green, and Iron. However, this is not a scientific grouping. Kyara, according to the Japanese expert Professor Yoneda, is a different scientific group than other Jinko, with a different chemical responsible for the aroma. Although most aloeswood is today called Jinko, it really only refers to aloeswood that sinks in water, and is not Kyara. Aloeswood that does not sink in water is more properly classified as Senkou or Oujuku-koh. Senkou is believed to come from the trunk and Oujuku-koh from the root part of the Daphne species which produces agarwood resin under certain conditions.

In addition, agarwood or aloeswoods from Indonesia and that from Indochina are also different scientific groups with different aromatic chemicals. Indonesian varieties contain Jinkohol and Jinkohol ii where Indochinese contains Dihydrokaronone.

From the early incense contests mentioned in "The Tale of the Genji", we go to the naming of the six varieties, or aromas of Aloes wood, the Rikkoku. This occured sometime later, perhaps even as late as the Edo period, and may have been devised by the Kodo genius Yonekawa Johaku. But this is not for certain according to Japanese expert, Professor Jinpo. Rikkoku literally means "Six Countries."