Michael (mukashi_banashi) wrote in little_details,
Michael
mukashi_banashi
little_details
  • Mood: confused
  • Music: "Detlef Shrempf" - Band of Horses

Incense in Historical Japan...

I have a question about Japanese incense. Well, really a couple of questions. I have been researching both incense in general and Japanese incense in specific. One thing I have found is that incense can be either directly lit on fire or can be burned indirectly by placing it on top of charcoal or embers or etc. I have found things online (by doing Wikipedia searches for "incense" and "Japanese incense" and etc.) that suggest that both types were used in Japan, but haven't been able to find anything that directly, positively, 100% confirms this. If it's true, I'm hoping that the indirect burning incense will work for the purposes of my story (takes place between Heian period and Edo, exact year left purposefully vague). What situations would indirectly burning incense (in powdered form or cakes/balls/etc.) be used? (Religious purposes? Time measurement? Games? Something else? Etc....)

Also, in the situation my story calls for a character wants to light incense but she is in a situation where she does not have a censer handy. Is there any way she could improvise one using natural materials?

Thanks so much! Let me know if I've left out any other relevant information.
Tags: japan: history
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