Box of 8 Incense Matches

Hibi Match was founded in Kobe, Japan, a location where match and incense manufacturing meet. In the mid 1800’s, at the beginning of the Meiji period, Harima, Japan was adopting European techniques for match production and developing a thriving local industry. Around the same time in 1850, craftsmen from Sakai brought incense-making to nearby Awaji Island after finding that the island's westerly winds were ideal for drying incense. Because both matches and incense are used every day, Hibi founder Masafumi Sagayama saw potential in creating something that would not only serve both purposes but would add a moment of calm into one’s day. After three and a half yers of experimenting combining paper pulp with incense powder, he finally found the perfect ratio and the Hibi Incense Match was born. Each box contains eight matches and a burning pad to be placed on a non-flamable surface such as ceramic or metal.

🌿 Citronella
• Scent: Lemony, sharp, grassy, slightly woody. • Impression: Clean and insect-repelling; similar to lemongrass but more pungent.

⸻
🌸 Osmanthus
• Scent: Fruity-floral, like ripe apricot or peach, with honeyed and creamy floral notes. • Impression: Soft, sensual, slightly tea-like; exotic and luxurious.

⸻
🌺 Geranium
• Scent: Green, rosy, citrusy with a hint of mint. • Impression: Bright and floral with a leafy freshness; balancing and mood-lifting.

⸻
🌾 Lavender
• Scent: Herbaceous, floral, clean, and slightly powdery. • Impression: Calming, classic, soothing; widely used in aromatherapy and sleep aids.

⸻
🌱 Lemongrass
• Scent: Citrusy, sharp, slightly sweet with an herbal undertone. • Impression: Energizing and purifying; like a more refined, zesty citronella.

⸻
🌿 Tea Tree
• Scent: Medicinal, camphorous, earthy, slightly spicy. • Impression: Sharp, clean, and invigorating; often associated with healing and cleanliness.

⸻
🌼 Ylang Ylang
• Scent: Exotic floral, intensely sweet, slightly spicy and fruity. • Impression: Sensual, heady, and rich—used in many floral perfumes like Chanel No. 5.

⸻
🍋 Yuzu
• Scent: Tangy, fresh citrus, with a hint of floral and green. • Impression: Zesty and uplifting; less sweet than orange, more complex than lemon.

⸻
🌲 Japanese Cypress (Hinoki)
• Scent: Dry, woody, clean, and subtly citrusy. • Impression: Serene and grounding; evokes temples, hot springs, and quiet forests in Japan.

⸻
🪵 Sandalwood
• Scent: Creamy, soft wood, with sweet and warm balsamic notes. • Impression: Smooth, meditative, comforting—often used as a base note in perfumes.

⸻
🐚 Ambergris
• Scent: Warm, marine, musky, slightly sweet and animalic. • Impression: Rare and luxurious; adds depth and sensuality to fine perfumes.

⸻
🌿 Oakmoss
• Scent: Earthy, green, damp, slightly smoky. • Impression: Mysterious, grounding, and classic—common in chypre and fougère fragrances.

⸻
🌲 Cedar Wood
• Scent: Dry, woody, pencil-shaving-like, slightly resinous. • Impression: Clean, masculine, and reassuring; often used in colognes.

⸻
🌸 Japanese Wisteria
• Scent: Light floral, honeyed, with a soft powdery touch. • Impression: Romantic, delicate, and nostalgic; associated with springtime.

⸻
🌼 Mimosa
• Scent: Powdery, sweet, soft floral with a hint of almond or honey. • Impression: Gentle, airy, and comforting; adds elegance to feminine scents.

⸻
🌷 Peony
• Scent: Lush, fresh floral, slightly rosy and green. • Impression: Cheerful, elegant, and light; often used in spring/summer perfumes.

Material: Paper fibres, Incense and charcoal.

Overall Dimension: 2.2" W x 2.2" L x .4" H

Made in Japan

Design by: The incense of Awaji Island and the matches of Harima

The incense of Awaji Island and the matches of Harima: These two traditional industries of Hyogo Prefecture first encountered each other in 2011. The collaboration started with the idea of an incense that could be lit like striking a match and was followed by 3 years of trial and error., An aromatic product with properties of strength and fragrance was developed, which did not break even when struck like a match.
Selecting fragrance suitable to the brand of the world view
The selection of a fragrance fitting for the brand’s worldview
The names of products and packaging were developed to convey the sensibility of today’s Japan. All those things were ‘designs’ to create a new way of enjoying fragrance.

The brand name hibi means ‘day to day’, or daily, in Japanese. It was given with the hope that you would keep it around you every day and freely enjoy its fragrance, matching each day’s mood or occasion. The logo’s design combines two of the Chinese character ‘日’ (day) set next to each other.

Please note that incense matches are delicate. To light, place your forefinger over the match head and strike. Wait for the flame to reach the incense, about 1/8" of the way down. It will extinguish itself around this point or you can gently blow it out. Place the smoking incense on the burning mat and enjoy.
Matches breaking during lighting is not common and becomes less frequent after one gets a feel for it, however if breakage does occur, light both sides with a lighter and proceed as instructed above.