Comme des Garcons Series 3 Incense: Kyoto

In terms of the genre that is incense I've had no issue finding wonderful fragrances among the heavier concentrations that offer both complexity and performance, but it's been much harder to find something lighter for everyday wear. What I also didn't want was something that felt like a watered down and simplified version of something that was meant to be expressed in the highest possible concentration. Incense: Kyoto checks all tose boxes for me, but not at the cost of character. To me the incense here comes across dry, smoky and ashy even. It's the incense molded into sticks and cones, and lacks anything that I would associate with dense, syrupy resins evoking an amber accord. It is certainly green and woody, perhaps a little cold even. It's also quite unique in this line, compared to the other four that share some similarity (a more directly resinous quality). It is a much more meditative fragrance to me, than something that I necessarily only associate with religious rituals or spaces. The distinction is unnecessary, even though it does conjure up my memories of the temples and shrines of Kyoto in the winter. It opens with smoke and birch tar and develops into a smooth, green mixture of cypress and cedar. I don't really agree with most of the comparisons drawn in the 'Reminds me of' section. There is nothing overtly masculine about Kyoto. It is very much a true unisex in the sense that the composition is balanced and harmonious. The vetiver here acts mainly as a fixative (it is literally present in most fragrances, even when not listed) and is overreported in terms of the note pyramid in my opinion. It lasts a long time on clothes, but is not as long lived on skin. But after all, this is kind of the point and something I appreciate, because it enables me to have this meditative scent cocoon around me when something much stronger would be inappropriate. It's not linear, but it also doesn't go through a drastic change throughout its development. It has that same comforting feel about it throughout its entire development.

ربما كان علىّ أن أرحل إلى جزيرة نائية، حيث لا توجد أية معلومات، فلربما تمكنت مخيلتى من العمل هناك بحرية أكبر،واستطعت أن أحافظ على عقلى من التلوث، إذ ما من قصة واحدة أسمعها اليوم تشعرنى بالسعادة” أكيرا كوروساوا كيوتو / كوم دي قارسون / مجموعة البخور 3 / اصدار 2002 كثيرا ما تعجبنا قيم الثقافة اليابانية التي تتضمن الكثير من معاني الصبر والتأمل والحكمة ، كل هذه الموروثات الثقافية ساعدت المصممة اليابانية رى كيكوبو بتأسيس دار كوم دي قارسون ، في الحقيقة لديهم أزياء تتسم بالغرابة ولاتقل عن عطورهم التي يعتبرها الكثيرون خارجة عن المألوف. كوم دي قارسون يصنفها البعض كديزاينر والبعض الاخر يرى انها ترقى لمستوى وفكر النيش ، حسنا يا اخوان " دعونا نشجع اللعبة الحلوة" فهذه الدار اضافة كبيرة للمجتمع العطرى المعاصر دون الخوض في هذا التصنيف الطبقي الغريب. من قلب مدينة كيوتو جاءت فكرة هذا العطر ،وان كنت لا افضل انتهاج دار كوم دي قارسون لفكرة دغدغة المشاعر الدينية العقائدية لاصدار مجموعة البخور ، فالحقيقة وجدت هذه الفكرة مبتذلة بعض الشيء. استعانت السيدة اكيكوبو بالعطرجي المخضرم بيرنار دوفوشار (امواج جوبيليشن-الغابة المسحورة) فله اسلوب راقي لتصميم وتخطيط العطور ، تتفق والنهج الفلسفي لكوم دي قارسون ، والحق يقال فالرجل سخر جميع طاقاته لايصال افكار كيكوبو المستحيلة. كرجل يعاني من أزمة منتصف العمر فقد وافق هذا العطر مزاجي الشخصي فهو باعث على الهدوء والسكينة والتأمل ومريح للأعصاب ، فهو ذو افتتاحية مبهرة بخورية لوجود راتنجات من الصنوبر والسرو وخشب الارز والبخور المحترق مع اضافة التنوب وخشب الساج ولابد من اضافة نجيل الهند والباتشول لاضافة الاحساس المعهود بالغابة المظلمة مع مرور النسمات العليلة المنعشة.مع الاستخدام المستمر للعطر قد نلحظ وجود لنوتة القهوة تظهر وتغيب. عطر خطى الهوى ، وقد نلحظ فيه بوضوح الاستخدام الغير معلن لنوتة الايزو سوبر لاضفاء هذا الاحساس الخشبي العنبري السويتي الاوزوني ، فقد اراد مؤلف العطر اختصار الوقت لايصال فكرة كيكوبو الصعبة ، ولقد نجح في ذلك باقتدار دون الاضرار بمكونات وجودة العطر.

The smell of an unburned stick of incense Opens up surprisingly bright, soapy, woody, and a bit green with cooling incense, clean teak wood, and cypress. Like the smell of a fresh stick of incense after taking a warm shower on a cold, rainy day. Simply stunning. As it dries down the woods and incense both really start to really fill out with addition of dry cedar and clean vetiver. In the deep dry down you get a very small twinge of dusty immortelle to help backup the cedar and vetiver once the cooling incense and freshness has disappeared. I wear this when cleaning my house, hiking, or just need a grounded, calming vibe. Truly a one of a kind woody fragrance that is easily one of the best fresh & woody fragrances on the market right now. It’s so easy to wear, and while I wouldn’t see myself reaching for this on the hottest days; this freshness of it helps with work very well in the heat (number of sprays permitting). Truly stunning and a must try if a fan of the woody or incense genre, or just stepping foot into the genres. A top 5 for me. 10/10. Masterpiece. Signature scent worthy. Song vibe - Timeless by The Weekend and Playboi Carti TLDR - Clean, cooling, fresh cypress, incense, and teak wood mixed with woody cedar and vetiver. Like lighting a fresh stick of incense after doing a deep clean of your room. Supremely calming, grounding, and versatile. A must try if checking out CdG or interested in woody fragrances. Really that good.

Wasn't initially certain about this one upon receiving it in a sampler pack of "Incense Fragrances." To me, Kyoto wears more like a straight Oriental Floral versus an Incense fragrance. Despite not being what I expected and as time wore on, I grew to adore this scent. It's funny 'cause upon application, I essentially smell nothing, really...blank space...it's odd. Within a few minutes, a blanket of pine forest grassy green takes over, which isn't at all my thing. Soon afterward, a combination of resins, amber, vanilla, some smoke, woody teak, etc rises...but not a lot of incense. Frankly, the wafts of smokiness managing to rise are almost offensive...ashtray like. But the hours and hours of dry-down are my favorite development. On me, Kyoto morphs into the sweetest, subtlest resinous woody floral one might imagine. The fragrance is almost ethereal and meditative. Wafts of amber, teak, sandalwood combined with everlasting flower play for hours...some patchouli. Truly the beautifully balanced sum or combination of the parts is what works for me. Not yet certain but this may be full-bottle worthy at a cost of approximately $95 for 50 mls (1.6 ozs). Surprisingly, I like this fragrance a lot. In many ways, CdG Kyoto reminiscently reminds me of Serge Lutens Vetiver Oriental, a fragrance I loved 'til it was discontinued (may be in reproduction).

This is a wonderful take on Japanese incense, in that it smells EXACTLY like what Japanese incense smells like, or, the incense they recommend to you in butsudan stores, even when you say you're looking for something a little less generic. It's the smell of incense sticks gaijin get offered ALL THE TIME, and there is NOTHING wrong with them at all, I love these and have HEAPS of these already, but it's the smell that Japanese incense stores THINK foreigners want to smell. It's so weird, and a little bit frustrating. The equivalent of being taken to a western fast-food chain when you're in Japan, but I digress... This scent has all the hallmarks of Japaneity, and more specifically, how Japan expresses itself in a select type of incense -- woody, green, demure, not flashy and not obnoxious. There is a LOT more to Japanese incense than this, of course, as much as this might shock Japanese customer service staff, but it does tick all the boxes at the same time. The hinoki gives off a green-woody element that forms the backbone of this scent, and whilst the smoke is a big part of the architecture here, it is NOT the first thing that hits your nose. So, in closing, yes, this reminds me of incense in Japan, but the kind of incense they shove at foreigners almost all the time...

so much greener and woodier than I expected, the pine, cedar and vetiver are really present and I even get eucalyptus even though it's not in the notes, and you can still get the incense from it underneath, very clean, fresh, soothing, comforting and peaceful very wearable and versatile too, but not exactly what I'm looking for in my search for the perfect church/cathedral incense fragrance, something in between Kyoto and Avignon would be perfect, maybe Filippo Sorcinelli will have something like that, it's also super weak and doesn't last long at all, maybe Lavs or Opus 1144 will save me the dry down goes into an even cleaner, almost soapy scent that I really like, my favorite body soap is a very green olive leaf and linden that I absolutely love and this is surprisingly close to it, which makes it even more of a shame that it doesn't last, if only it lasted longer and projected a bit more :( Avignon smells too much like coca-cola for some reason, it's too sweet, still pretty realistic, though Zagorsk is probably the most realistic of them all, but it's exactly because of that that it's not really wearable, probably more as a room spray to really get that cathedral smell Jaisalmer and Ouarzazate smell off to me and not what I'm looking for in an incense fragrance

This makes me think of the countryside in the cooler months after rain early in the morning. The incense is not over powering and not the hippie type either. it is fresh type of smoke. there is a touch of clean vetiver supporting this and roasted coffee beans adds a touch of warmth. Not a coffee that's already brewed to drink. The patchouli is light in this fragrance for those that do not like too much patchouli, Projection is good for the first 4 hours then sits closer but a bit more than a skin scent. Lasting power is 6-10 hours in the cooler months, so guessing summer time this will last more like 4-6 hours. I always use 3-4 sprays on the neck as this is a EDT. Age range imo would be anyone over 25 Pricing of this fragrance is a little on the expensive side, since if you wanted to buy a 100ml bottle and save some money it won't be possible as it is only made in 50 ml bottle. so 100ml of this juice will cost you £130 but still worth it nonetheless. This is pure art of a fragrance. One of the best CDG perfumes i have tried, and totally unisex. Edit: The dry down seems to last well over 12 hours on clothes, mainly coffee and incense note lingers and clings on. (bottle cap could be better very light)

CdG is at their best, in my opinion, when doing clean, sparkling woods and incense, and this is one of their finest. It's so soft and cozy, yet uplifting and energizing. I don't really pick up on the coffee note in here, but it does give me a similar sensation to smelling some freshly ground coffee on a rainy day. For me this serves as a kind of work-safe edition of the more smokey woods/incenses I tend to wear in my personal life. I also find it to have great performance. I think the people saying this is weak are becoming anosmic. I experience this a lot with Comme scents, as I think they are heavy ISO E users. Anecdotally, I often spray this on the chore coat I use at work, and forget I'm wearing it. I tend to leave that coat at my bench in the woodshop whenever I'm going outside for a bit, or working in one of the galleries. When I come back, I can smell this strongly within 6 feet of my bench, even at the end of the day. It's definitely kind of a creeper and will linger on clothes for days. I usually stop spraying it mid week, as after a few days of 3-4 sprays, it'll carry a nice scent bubble until the weekend, when I wash my coat.

I do genuinely believe this is one of, if not the only incense-based fragrances you could probably wear year round. It is very light and airy which is a quality that is not often found in incense fragrances. I do find that the projection and longevity to be on the lower-end, but I am someone who prefers quieter fragrances so I don't really see that as a negative, although I understand why others would. I also find that I am put at ease whenever I wear it, just something about this fragrance is so soothing I can't help but to keep going for whiffs of myself periodically. Is it as unique or show-stopping as the other fragrances of this series? No. But I don't think it needs to be. I typically find that whenever a fragrance has fewer notes, the perfumer is able to make the notes more cohesive with one another and as the amount of notes increases, it becomes exponentially harder for the perfumer to make the notes harmonious with one another. An admittedly more basic incense fragrance, but one where the basicness works in its favor.

I received a 5ml decant and, with few preconceptions sprayed it on my wrist. Waited...Inhaled. I’ve never written a review just minutes after my first sprays but I instinctively felt familiar with Kyoto. Like we had been close in another life. I’ve never had this instant connection with a fragrance before, and have enjoyed many. Imagery instantly painted in mind... Dusk. A gnarly cedar forest rises to envelop me, edging a meandering path. The air is cool, still, and damp. A bluish smoke gently billows from deep within the mossy floor and rises to form a peaceful apparition that beckons me to follow, all the while moving further and further away, lost beyond the curves ahead. Kyoto is quiet, introspective, and calm. I agree with others that it should be be projecting a bit more, but it can be forgiven because this composition is designed to whisper, and does so like a proper ASMR. I think this fragrance could make almost anyone feel calm and centered. Colour: Spirulina Song: kiyomizu-dera by Matthew Halsall

I already wrote a review about Kyoto, but I feel it is only right to write it again, now that I know the perfume better. This is an amazing fragrance in my opinion. It opens with a light, smooth, gentle incense and cypress. It is very green and slightly damp, unlike say Avignon, which is remarkably drier. It doesn't evolve much, I do get some occasional whiff of coffee and vetiver. Unfortunately I am not familiar with teak and immortelle. Performance-wise, it is light and airy, a bit more than a skin scent, but it does last a few hours on me (I usually do one or two spritzes max). Even though it is incense-based, it is safe to say that most people will like it, I have yet to find someone who dislikes it. Totally unisex. On a personal/emotional level, I love this perfume because it makes me think of dreams. I know it sounds weird, but the atmosphere/feeling of this perfume resembles a lot the atmosphere of my dreams, in their stylized reflection of reality. For this reason, I find it highly relaxing :)

This is a really interesting one. It absolutely smells like the notes: very strong incense, deep woods like cedar and cypress. As it softens later on, I get some vetiver, patchouli, and amber. It really smells like being in a Japanese temple deep in an ancient forest. However, if you don't like incense, you definitely won't like this one, it is pretty strong. I know other people are saying the longevity sucks, but I used a dabber sample and it lasted 8+ hours easy, with good projection. For me, this is a fantastic scent, but maybe more suited to a candle than a perfume. I love the smell of being in an ancient temple, but I'm not sure if I want that temple following me around all day... My only gripe is that the bottle looks like a generic room spray. For a perfume this price, I expect *at least* a standard-looking glass flacon. In any case, it is different than anything I've smelled before. Do yourself a favor and get a sample of this, it's worth it just for the experience alone.

This is my signature. First whiff and I was in love. This fragrance is like a magical forest in Japan. It's mysterious and is more of an emotion than simply a scent for the office, dates, dinner parties etc. It lasts maybe around 3-4 hours and sillage is very close to the skin. Now I'd like it to project more but I like how it's a skin scent for me personally as I like when I'm in more intimate settings people feel quite comfortable and somewhat intrigued. However, for the price (£65 50ml) I do expect more sillage by a tiny bit more at least and more longevity. I feel like this is my signature till it runs out and then I will move on to finding a new one - the price for the performance puts me off rebuying, even though this is one of the most interesting scents I've smelt. I say buy a sample off ebay or something before buying as this certainly isn't a blind buy! - I hope CDG make a stronger version that's worth the money because they have some gems!!!

The perfume's world is amazing,fascinating,glorious and sometimes disappoint us,the latter is not included this one.Kyoto is one of most well blended ever.I had opportunity to try out every Series 3 fragrances as well my desire is to have all of them.If I acting by heart probably I will but my effort consists only "love" fragrances.Avingnon and Kyoto are my choice while the former make me feel like all my Sins has been forgive,Kyoto makes me feel like I ever never committed one. In the air notes like incense,cypress and cedar are crispy and full of life ready to be burned,this time it kept "virgin" until the end but if you are looking for something more complex take your nose on skin then coffee/patchouli give us smoky sensation,something dark and spicy while surrounded by a little dose of amber,cedar lose its bitterness. Kyoto is a must to try although I`m always looking for long lasting the 5-6 hours in this mood,is plenty enough to my own.

Tibetan Buddhist monks will spend hours creating beautiful pieces of art called mandalas. These pieces of art are incredibly intricate and complex, with the monks sometimes spending days or weeks completing them. Once completed, the monks will take a few moments to revel in the beauty of their creations, only to destroy them seconds later. This exercise is a demonstration of the evanescence of life. A ritual that reminds us that life is fleeting, that all things must come and go, that nothing is ever permanent. Kyoto is a similar exercise. A meditation that evokes the same feelings of peace and detachment. A piece of art that allows us to bask in its beauty, but only long enough to realize how much we will miss it once it's gone. Like the monks, let us not be disappointed by what was lost, but rather remember: what is most important is embracing the beauty in the present. The beauty of the moment. Let us always be grateful for that.

I have all perfumes from the Incense line, and I must say that Kyoto is the most soothing one among all. Jaisalmer being the mystical one, Avignon being the most captivating one, Zagorsk being the charismatic one, Ourzazate being the jarring one, while Kyoto is the calmest one. It's a soapy wood plus incense fragrance. The sillage is close to skin but longevity is amazing. I think it embodies the true teaching of Buddhism, of which in general is close-to-the-heart and very least outspoken. Kyoto doesn't necessarily have to remind somebody of Kyoto the city, but I must say it does encompasses the aura of Buddhism in a way that it's a clean, humble, earthy (down to earth), incense (spiritual) fragrance. And most importantly, you can rest assured that the incense will burn all night long, safe and soundly, in the calmness of the night, reaching to the moon and beyond... -Mr. Almond-

It was the summer of 2010, I was dancing in a club, and a handsome man approached me to flirt. He was visiting from Spain, was arty, and smelled so good. I asked what it was, and he told me it was Comme des Garcons Incense Kyoto. I took him home with me, had a great time, and his scent was left behind. I was so hooked I needed to buy some of it for myself. It became a no. 1 go-to scent for several months thereafter. I loved how it smelled so calm and clean, meditative and grounding. This was such a contrast to the turbulent life that I led at the time, with so much escapism, sleeping around, and untended wounds. I long since ran out and never replenished Kyoto; I am almost afraid it will transport me to that time, and I am not so sure I am ready for that. But I do look back fondly, and can still smell it in my mind.

Very distinctive smell, reminds me a lot of a certain type of incense called "Chandan", wich is Indian, not Japanese, actually, if you smell the package of the incense it is pretty much identical, and i love it a lot! Very unisex, very good, next on my to buy list for sure! Edit: have it and love it, on my skin the sillage is pretty weak unfortunatly, the first hour it projects amazingly well, but after that it diminishes rather quickly, after 3 hours i need to bring my nose almost against my hand to smell it.On clothes and hair though it stays longer, but on my skin it fades way too quick. i wish it was stronger. This scent is a full 10 for me, it's unique (as far as i know), and it makes me happy and calm. This is insence the way i love it, floral, rich and mood enhancing, i'm totally in love with it.

This is a slightly masculine leaning "piney" fragrance. Very beautiful and zen. I've never truly been in a buddhist/shintoist temple but I am ready to believe this is exactly how they supposed to smell like. Kyoto is a calm brother next to its slightly more performative sisters Avignon and Zagorsk, and the third fragrance from Series 3 that I got. So far all of them were fantastic and I am looking forward to trying Jaisalmer and Ouarzazate next. As for Kyoto, It mostly reminds me about times spent alone in a forest on a cold rainy day, maybe somewhere close to a sea even. Minimalistic, reflective and composed perfume with a gorgeous incense drydown. It feels like a good thing to wear while sitting down to write a novel in your private cabin at the edge of a forest. A must have for incense lovers.

Kyoto is the 'Far Eastern' entry in CdG's Incense series. It starts off with a mixture of frankincense, cypress and cedar, before the incense slowly reduces to lingering smoke and a vetiver core reveals itself. It's like a slightly more restrained version of Encre Noir, but there are hints of something floral (maybe that's the Immortelle). It dries down in a pretty linear and speedy way after that, so I am guessing, like Encre Noir, that this relies a lot on the Iso-E. But I don't mind that: if it smells good I don't care how it's achieved. PS: A final note to all those fantasizing about Japanese temples and forests, I've spent a lot of time in Japan, and there is nothing 'Kyoto' or even particularly Japanese about the smell so far as I can tell. Imagination is a wonderful thing...