Love subtle and delicate scents? Discover 7 Japanese perfume brands to try now
If you prefer your scents subtle, soft and quietly alluring, there’s no better place to look for them than in Japan.
Japanese scents are generally known to be light, elegant and on the simpler side of perfumes – they reflect the nation’s penchant for understated minimalism. (Art: CNA/Chern Ling)
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It’s no secret that Japan is a land of numerous cultural sensitivities – which include perfumes. While using them is not an absolute no-no, wearing a strong, overpowering scent is considered intrusive and rude, since it can be offensive to others while you’re in a public space.
Japan is known to have one of the smallest fragrance markets in the world. But while scents may not be as popular with the Japanese compared to folks from other countries, they do appreciate perfumes – albeit in subtle, delicate forms that allow them to express their personality quietly and politely, without intruding on other’s personal (olfactory) space.
This is why Japanese scents are generally known to be light, elegant and on the simpler side of perfumes – they also tend to reflect the nation’s penchant for understated minimalism. If this sounds exactly like the type of perfume that you love, here are some fragrance brands that you need to put on your shopping list and experience personally when you next visit the country.
1. J-SCENT
This perfume brand draws inspiration from Japanese culture, traditions and nature – evident in its line-up that includes scents with names like Roasted Green Tea, Yuzu and Hydrangea. Besides fragrances that are based on familiar notes, J-Scent also carries several conceptual scents that will no doubt capture one’s imagination by their names.
Ramune, which refers to the traditional Japanese soda pop with a bottle that’s sealed with a marble stopper, is a playful scent that projects the olfactory image of the beverage with fresh notes of lemon, mint and bergamot. Sumo Wrestler is one for those with a taste for the unusual – it evokes the “dignified scent of a sumo wrestler that’s passing by”, by reimagining the scent of bintsuke oil (which wrestlers use on their hair) with powdery and floral tones.
Available at select retail outlets around the world.
2. SHIRO
Not just a maker of fragrances, this Hokkaido brand is well known for its cosmetics and skincare line that are made from natural ingredients including kelp, sake lees, rice bran and yuzu its key features. What’s interesting about its fragrances is that they are divided into two separate ranges that can be layered together to create a unique, personalised scent.
The Fragrance line comprises the Savon, White Lily, White Tea, Earl Grey and Kinmokusei (osmanthus) scents, while the Perfume collection features more abstract creations made by perfumers from around the world. With names like Smoke Leather, Take It Easy and Spice of Life, the fragrances from the latter are based on each perfumer’s personal memories and experiences. Shiro says that it uses uses distilled yuzu and Japanese mugwort water in place of water for the Perfume collection – apparently, doing so adds richness to the ingredients and depth to the fragrance.
Available at Shiro.
3. PARFUM SATORI
You’ll find a refined line of fragrances here, presenting the Japanese ideal of elegant yet unique perfumes. Parfum Satori’s fragrances are light, airy, and blend gently into the skin – they are born from a deep respect for the Japanese aesthetic of “harmony”.
According to the brand, its scents subtly merge with the wearer and their surroundings – creating a beautiful sense of balance, instead of dominating the senses. The perfumer behind them, Satori Osawa, aims to share this uniquely Japanese approach to fragrance with the world.
The signature of the brand is the namesake fragrance Satori, a classy woody oriental that “paints” the image of a dignified woman. It features notes including bergamot, coriander, cinnamon, cacao, vanilla and sandalwood – these have been chosen to also express the five tastes of spicy, bitter, sweet, sour and salty, which, together, encapsulate a Zen sense of Japanese beauty.
Available at select retail outlets in Japan.
4. SHOLAYERED
Here’s another Japanese perfume brand with scents that are made to be layered so that users can experiment and find their own unique scent. Sholayered refers to its fragrances as body sprays, since they are designed to be light, refreshing and “easy to use”, which makes them ideal for those who do not like strong perfumes.
Its scents are kept simple, featuring familiar and distinctive notes, and are named quite literally in reflection of them. This makes them easier to mix and match – take your pick from Orange Blossom, Lemon Peel, White Musk, Soapy Rose and Sugar Lychee, among others, and find a concoction to suit your personality or mood of the day.
Available at Sholayered.
5. MIYA SHINMA
If you’re looking for something truly exquisite, you’ll appreciate what this niche luxury Paris-based fragrance brand has to offer. The scents are by Paris-based Japanese perfumer, Miya Shinma, who studied perfumery in France and then set out to her own brand of fragrances that are inspired by Japanese culture and the beauty of nature.
You’ll sense the connection to her homeland most in her Kimono line of scents – particularly in Kimono Kaze, which is inspired by the traditional Japanese tea ceremony and features notes of green tea, yuzu and pine needle among others. Prefer a floral fragrance? Kimono Sakura evokes spring in Kyoto with rose, iris and jasmine, instead of the actual scent of sakura blooms – which, apparently, do not have much of a distinct fragrance.
Available at select retail outlets around the world.
6. KITOWA
Wood-based scents are what Kitowa focuses on, since the brand is founded on the idea of creating perfumes that represent the unique connection between the Japanese and the trees native to their country. This resulted in the creation of three signature eau de parfums – Hinoki (Japanese cypress), Hiba (white cedar) and Kusunoki (Camphor tree), which blend distinctive woody notes with citrus and floral notes that are specially selected to add depth and elevate the fragrances.
Kitowa also has a range of alcohol-free perfumes that are skin-friendly – the Eau Eclosion line is largely wood-based, too, and is ideal for those with skin allergies. Alcohol-free perfumes are known to last longer, since they contain a higher concentration of fragrance oils. On the other hand, the absence of alcohol means that they have low projection – they wear close to the skin and are unlikely to be overpowering, which is exactly what most Japanese would prefer their perfume to be.
Available at select retail outlets in Japan.
7. AHRES
A relatively new name in the Japanese beauty scene, Ahres is a hip and modern brand with a skincare and makeup line, and an extensive range of fragrances. Its tagline of “function and entertainment” describes the brand ethos, which is seen in how it presents its line of Sound Skin Perfumes.
On its website, each of the scents from the range is paired with a short tune, which is intended to create a multisensory experience for the user – in the brand’s words, to help one “listen” to the scent and imagine the scene it projects.
Even if you’re not one for abstract concepts such as this, you’d surely be able to appreciate the fresh scent of Ahres’ chic fragrances, which, in true Japanese fashion, are formulated to be light, airy and to meld well with the skin.
Available at select retail outlets in Japan.
