Tokyo

I'm in the process of trying out Gallivant, and smelling Tokyo in the store and now at home via tester spray - it's quite different. In the store what I thought was a clean regular masculine fragrance, fresh and spicy but I really didn't get the "Tokyo" name and story. Now smelling at home, I can smell all the nice details I haven't been able to in the store. First of all, it has a prominent fenugreek / maple syrup backbone in the opening which renders a smoky effect. I saw a reviewer mentioned immortelle note as well, well, fenugreek can also give that vibe so count me in! I do not get much citrus but the citrus from the cypress perhaps, together with a piney freshness. I totally agree that this is a very much Comme des Garçons style scent, which is a Tokyo/Paris house. I also do get a lot of Kenzo-ish DNA from this fragrance, again, Japan...Nutmeg-Vetiver-Ginger combo reminds me of Kenzo - Once Upon A Time pour homme, a discontinued limited Kenzo fragrance. The spices are quite intoxicating, and supported by a nice cedar pencil shavings vibe and a hint of cream-body lotion Nivea note lingering somewhere in the background. Overall my type of woody-spicey-smokey scent and I enjoy it a lot. Does it justify the price though? Not sure. I'd hunt for Kenzo - Once Upon A Time pour homme first.

I love this quirky and unique fragrance. It's so weird and wonderful to me. I just decided to get the 30ml bottle because it was on sale at my favorite fragrance boutique. I had obtained a sample and tried it out before that and I really, really enjoyed smelling it wafting from my skin. The accords listed here on Fragrantica are very accurate. It's basically a fresh and warm spicy woody fragrance with an aromatic vibe and some sweetness from the citrus and amber. It smells like nothing I've ever smelled and it's definitely, in my opinion, a standout from the house. I also really love Los Angeles and Istanbul but Tokyo is my favorite. On my skin, the star is the cardamom and sandalwood but the nuances of all the other notes make it a very, very unique experience. Performance on my skin is excellent. I sprayed my sample before leaving for work at 7:40am and I was still picking it strongly up 8 hours later before it became much fainter yet still detectable up to 12 hours later. I think if you haven't given it a try or discovered this house yet, then you really should. They offer discovery sets for a very affordable price.

Beautiful fragrance, the highest quality incense, and slightly spicy with notes of pepper and wasabi, giving it that zesty twist. Imagine being in Tokyo, rising at dawn when the frantic pace of life hasn't yet begun. You're heading to visit one of those temples in the forest. As you walk, electric cables and plants alternate along the road. Finally, you arrive at the temple and smell that Hinoki wood and incense scent. Nearby, there's a zen garden emitting a very green aroma, and in the background, you can discern some notes of wasabi coming from who knows where. An incredible fragrance, but not the easiest to wear. Its longevity isn't exceptional, considering it could have been a masterpiece. 🌿🌸🌟

I enjoy the whole line, but Istanbul and Tokyo stand out to me. Tokyo takes a harsh scent like wasabi and makes it light, easy going, and wearable. How? A casual mix of fresh and spicy cardamom, a lemony green accord in the mid called "Hinoki", sweet powdery iris a la Dior Homme Eau, creamy santal, and softly sharp pepper and incense notes. The result is a unique fresh-spice scent that will refresh in the heat and comfort in the cold, be bearable in all condition, and just right for all occasions. Soft, personable, and a touch quirky, Tokyo by Gallivant is certainly worth a full bottle.

O my o my. Mr Bonneville has really nailed it with this. To my surprise because first it hits you over the head with a giant licorice, so I was ready to pass some harsh judgement here, but I gave it a couple of hours and I lived happily ever after. The softness and freshness with a hint of something unknown, could it be the wasabi? The hinoki? All this freshness softened by the iris. Not sweet, not floral or fruity/peachy, just really nice fresh soft woody with a tiny flower. I could wear this day and night.

First impressions from the sample: I am in love. Beautiful zesty, green opening with slight incense and even a bit salty dry-down, very calming scent. Instantly it reminded me of Aqua Fahrenheit which I adore and slightly of BdC, but Tokyo is very calm and comforting, have a slight powdery nuance. Can not wait to explore it further, could be my new favorite from the Gallivant. Check out my fragrance related Instagram @thechazas for future review.

A very interesting fragrance and somewhat of a tale of two halves....or maybe more? I like that about fragrances when they have transitions or odd quirks and Tokyo from Gallivant is certainly one of those. It smells different in the opening to the drydown which is true of many perfumes but this has the more rare extra dimension of smelling different when vaguely wafted (silage trail) to what it does when sniffed close to the skin. The opening is what I would describe as an aquatic modern citrus, with the characteristic style of Yuzu and heavy spicy, peppery notes and vetiver. There's a zing to it and a Comme des Garcons modernity about the whole thing, but at the same time has that designery feel, for want of a better term. It's clearly a cerebral, niche incense fragrance but has an accessible Bleu de Chanel thing to it by the same token. However, that's just the fresh opening. The main focus at the heart of Tokyo is that hinoki wood. It's an intoxicating, spicy, wood which has it's own unique smell, but If I had to describe those facets I'd compare it to cyrpess/cedar/vetiver/olibanum/pine, it's kind oily, has a slight smoke smell but is uplifting. So from a distance Tokyo is catching in my nostrils and reminding me of a fragrance that I own, but have always been on the fence about. Issey Miyake Bleue d'Issey. Now I'm not saying they smell the same, Tokyo is clearly far superior in quality and when smelled close up is much more complex. However, something of the effect is the same and it renders Tokyo a maybe in terms of wear ability for me. It's such a challenge because when I first tried it I was like "Wow!" Who cares if I'm unsure though, The point is I think Tokyo is a fantastic fragrance which does meet it's brief in terms of evoking Tokyo. I've never been mind you and despite not getting a horseradish note (pretty glad actually) I get the implied wasabi heat, the fresh yuzu, the old world, temple incense and remote Forrest retreat meeting the frenetic pace and neon lights of the downtown. I get all that in this fragrance and that's the point of this line, to be transported.

Another lock down sample, that has been lying around way too long. The opening blast is a peppery citrus (yuzu in this case) and I do agree, in that phase it leans quite masculine aftershave-ish. I do think, however, it mellows down rather quickly, 15 minutes give or take, to something more mild and unisex. The first two hours are very heavy on the cypress - yes, yes, Hinoki, I know... but it smells just like my cypress perfume oil... my nose is not trained enough to tell the difference, sorry. - The longer you get into wear the more the warm spicy aspects of it are allowed to glow under its fresh green surface. And it's here where Tokyo by Gallivant convinces me. However, it's not an everyday scent, for me personally. To me this scent is both very natural and very sophisticated. Going from a female perspective, I picture an executive kind of woman wearing this. She doesn't want to smell girly, beach-y, sultry or 'perfumy'. Her everyday fragrance is supposed to be like her: clear, sharp, confident, sophisticated, yet grounded. It's not supposed to waft around everyone who enters her office, but she likes the fact that people get a whiff of it whenever she gets up or stretches out her arm to shake hands. Wearing this in my lockdown outfit (read: pajamas all day everyday) in front of my laptop I feel terribly under-dressed for it. Let me make it clear, I do like this a lot, but my overall lifestyle doesn't really fit it. If I had a full bottle I'd probably own it forever, not getting use out of it often, yet liking it too much to part with it. Sillage: moderate, polite. Longevity: excellent (at least in AC conditions) Definitely not a blind buy.

At face value, Tokyo smells like a run-of-the-mill if pleasant masculine spicy scent. Fresh, woody and aromatic, it is in keeping with current trends, making for a safe everyday scent. However, it reflects its Japanese theme through the notes used - yuzu as the citrus note, hinoki for the aromatic greenness, and - obviously - the wasabi to add spice. It is a clever composition - creative but wearable, but feels like nothing special when simply smelled. Tokyo is freshly spicy from initial spray, with aromatic cardamom leading the way. The sharper wasabi follows, and the bright citrus keeps things fresh. It is nicely peppery, nose-tickling and dry. As it develops, the hinoki, green and pine-like, adds body while keeping things fresh and aromatic. It becomes warm here, with nutmeg and some smoky incense emerging. The dry woody base slowly develops in the background, with grassy vetiver in particular evident to my nose. Some soft sandalwood complements it nicely. It becomes softly musky as it fades, becoming a less interesting dry, woody scent. Sillage and longevity are moderate. It is masculine-leaning in my opinion and is a transeasonal daytime scent. A wearable, good-quality scent that reflects its theme to an extent, Tokyo is surprisingly generic, but likeable. An impressive exercise in marketing. 3/5.

Tokyo opens with a modern, rather tinny light wood, a hint of citrus, and something a little salty. I like it; it feels clean and urban. We're once again in woody-citrus land, which always makes me feel zippy and brisk. A few minutes in, the wood is a bit more full-bodied. It's still a pale cedar, but now it's realistic (this ain't just Iso E Super!) and rather lovely. I also get a faint floral touch around the cedar. In the drydown, about two hours in, it's a little warmer wood, with a slightly rosy glow and a subtle "sandalwood" sweetness. Basically, Tokyo is a clean cologne, mostly synthetic but in the good way that means urbane crispness, with a very nice realistic cedar note. Masculine of center. Not as incense-y as CdG Kyoto or as vividly coniferous as Apoteker Tepe Kogen -- this isn't real-deal hinoki or kodo, it's only lightly "Japanese" in influence -- but who cares, really, so long as it smells good? Compared to Berlin, the other Gallivant woody-citrus, Tokyo is less smoky and less peppery, and a lot softer and warmer in the drydown. Still a zippy morning scent for starting the workday, but a gentler, more smiling one.

Tokyo adds another interesting variation to the Gallivant catalog, a fragrance dominated by incense but with resins, woods, and some florals. Incense accompanied by notes of amber, cedar, sandalwood, rose, and iris provide a colorful experience. I admit I'm not intimately familiar with yuzu or hinoki, though, as much as wasabi is a familiar spicy element that adds some flair despite the incense itself seeming rather sober and easy-to-wear. The scent is surely year-round-wearable but pivots to colder weather, categorically, a nod to the cooler weather experienced in temperate Japan. Its performance is slightly above average on projection and a bit better on longevity, and certainly contains the art and creativity meriting its niche pricing of $95 for 30ml. Toyko makes for another neat entry, increasing diversifying the catalog of Gallivant, which is becoming deep and rich with variant influences. 7 out of 10

I’m surprised by the low rating here. This is lovely, odd even.... a little exotic weirdo of a fragrance. With incense and a bunch of Asian spices, it’s like a trip into a Tokyo night market. And I love it. An interesting concept, made with excellent, natural smelling notes and accords, creating an enjoyable olfactory journey. Opens with pungent spices, I pick up ginger (not listed) with other gourmand notes. To be honest, I’m not sure what I’m smelling. Wasabi? Ok, why not. Kind of linear and I’m okay with that. So far, Gallivant is impressing me. Looking forward to the next destination.

It's a fascinating scent. Quite intense. The spicy kick from the wasabi along with cardamom, nutmeg and black pepper. The dry citrus element from the yuzu. There is a green seaweed aspect to this. The vetiver bolsters that green dry leafiness. Gradually the top notes fades and the amber and wood notes surface. All the while the incense is the heart of the scent. Perfectly unisex. Great to wear all year around. I get average longevity and sillage in this chilly room.

I love this. Tokyo is woody/spicy, aromatic but grounding, resinous, and earthy fragrance that reminds me of walking through a damp woods heavily shaded by tall trees. Agree with the reviews below saying it leans masculine, definitely earth element.

I like this in the bottle and on a tab but doesn’t work on my skin unfortunately. Turns into something else with my body chemistry. I am a fan of the Gallivant collection though. Unique scents not run of the mill. It is this uniqueness that means not everything will work on everyone. A good product though with true ingredients not a manufactured chemical smell. Daytime fragrance I think.

It's good. Male leaning, nothing unique. I feel like the notes sounded so fun, odd and intriguing but it was very lack luster. It's a nice fragrance but not as interesting as I thought. I get mostly sweet citrus yuzu, cardamom, and floral. I know that doesn't sound male leaning but there's a very stereotypical male Cologne scent.

This scent smells like a lot of men’s perfumes with similar notes. I wouldn’t recognise it among a bunch. That being said, I suppose it serves Tokyo, as I myself find it rather traditional and oldschool under the modern surface.

Impressive overall longevity but this is Hinoki for 10 minutes, then odd musty camphorated woods. Wake the *uck up samurai!

It’s true: Tokyo has some beautiful, world-class department stores—from hip and trendy, to luxe and opulent. But... I didn’t expect Gallivant’s take on the city to smell as if I’ve just been blasted by every tester on the perfume counter. I feel as if the perfume tries to capture the electric spark of the city (through a peppery top note) juxtaposed by its serene back alleys (with incense and an unnamed soft white musk that zips up the base). But it all feels a bit murky—too many competing notes without anything really standing out. It’s a bit floral, a bit spicy, a bit dark, a bit light. But where Tokyo the city makes these dichotomies feel magical, this perfume of the same name feels heavy-handed and off. The most Japanese notes on the pyramid—hinoki, wasabi, and yuzu—are nowhere to be found for me. And since Gallivant’s brand is ostensibly to capture what’s special and transcendent about a particular place, Tokyo the perfume doesn’t deliver. If anything, I feel as if I’m trapped on the 40th floor of a skyscraper hotel staring out at the city below—clean and well appointed but ultimately anonymous and bland, longing for what is out of reach.

Easily a standout from the house, I’ve tried them all. Fresh, spicy woody with an aromatic feel - but very familiar, as if I have smelled it before. The quality is no match for CDG Hinoki even if the price is. That absolutely floored me, but this is at least wearable. Far better things to wear though, even that this is my standout from the house by now thats not saying much. The compositions feel rushed, half baked and all except 1 or 2 had scratch aroma chemicals. The accords the perfumer created were at a most basic level, lacking in nuance, complexity or realism. I sincerely want to support indie perfumers but this is no better than the low end designer fare in quality and composition, only in the evocative concept behind the brand. In short, I found this cheap smelling, generic and as with most from the brand it failed to live up to Nick’s great concept of being transported though scent. High hopes, but very disappointed indeed.

As someone who has visited Tokyo, I found this fragrance disappointingly disconnected from my impressions of the city. The scent reminds me of a familiar masculine designer fragrance, blended with elements meant to evoke Japan—wasabi, yuzu, and hinoki. The result is a somewhat spicy incense-like mix that feels more like a chaotic fusion than a harmonious composition. On my warm skin, the notes blur together without much clarity or progression. The sharp wasabi-like spiciness in the top notes quickly melds with the smoky, woody heart, and the scent lasts around 5–6 hours. Don’t be misled by the poetic description suggesting a early morning stroll through Tokyo streets or a serene visit to a shrine—the vibe is closer to a neon-lit nightlife scene than anything contemplative or spiritual.

a spicy, woody, aromatic, and a little citrusy fresh, a classic masculine cologne with a small twist. The opening was very green and fresh, and the wasabi and yuzu notes were clear and bright. that Wasabi is strong and stays the whole time, adding that nice spiciness and also this green musk, like you're smelling the raw root/plant of the wasabi still in the ground. though the base of this fragrance will have you smelling spicy and woody. In the drydown, I get some creamy sandalwood and hinoki, adding that signature men's cologne scent. The vibes are like standing in a Japanese forest. On my skin, I got wood and spiciness; I didn't pick up on any amber or incense like I hoped to. On my skin, I'd say this is a 3 or 4/10, but on someone else, a 7/10.

Designed as a modern wood spice, this perfume is a mishmash of notes that unfortunately does not quite work in evoking the imagery of either Tokyo or Japan. The opening notes are citrus (yuzu barely detectable), wasabi, pepper and cardamom. The heart showcases incense, rose, cedar (hinoki undetectable), iris (so prominent, why?), and nutmeg (another why?). The base is patchouli, sandalwood, amber and vetiver. Unisex (slightly feminine leaning) with moderate sillage, longevity and projection. It is not a totally bad perfume, but it is fairly generic, somewhat pedestrian and not particularly memorable. It is however an inexpensively priced niche and may attract those looking for safe and quiet but somewhat different scent. Enjoy!

This doesn't smell like much else I've ever tried, but that's the best I can say for it. The black pepper and wasabi notes are mostly irritants for me; they make me feel like I've got something in my throat. The florals and the yuzu are attempts to smoothe that out, but they don't go far enough for me. I can see where this would be very popular with people (probably younger ones) who want something exceptionally unusual in a day scent, or something that will cause other people to sit up and take notice. That's not what I want, though.

Gallivant describes this as a zingy, spicy, woody fragrance and I do believe that is overall a good description of this fragrance. There are also some wonderful descriptions here (kudos, mrmorel) so let me just say that of the ones I've tested in this line, Tokyo does seem to last the longest and project the most. But that's not really saying a lot because longevity is not this line's best attribute.

This is a quite masculine scent. The cedar and hinoki are very strong. I am not familiar with hinoki on itself, but it is the same (or similar note) as inAmoroud White Hinoki. It is edgy but generic at the same time. Not a safe blind buy, try a Discovery set from Gallivant.

For me, it's a perfume for women that is too spicy for women. Unisex fragrance is a fragrance for men and women, this fragrance is nor for men, nor for women.

Spicy, dry, woody, peppery, incensy, smoky. Hinoki wood that's on fire.

Discordant. Whatever may be unique about this is also unpleasant.

The fragrance of Tokyo portrays, through its creative concept, the Japanese art of enjoying the incense, known as Kōdō. It is one of the three classic Japanese arts of great refinement, although it is a practically unknown activity in Japan, nowadays. According to Nick Steward, Creative Director of the company: "The earthy dampness of potted plants outside shrines and wooden temples. It’s refined, spiritual - sandalwood and smoky incense. A calm elegance amid the big city neon energy." Tokyo has notes of yuzu, bergamot, black pepper, and cardamom, plus a dash of wasabi, on top of the composition. Then, the body of the fragrance brings the woody notes of hinoki and cedar, as well as iris root, nutmeg, rose, and incense, on a base of amber, sandalwood, patchouli, and vetiver. On the skin, Tokyo shows us a completely different side from the one we are used to when we think of fragrances of Japanese origin that are full of citric content. It is indispensable to understand the concept of this creation in order to take advantage of every nuance of this Incense Ceremony, created by young and talented perfumer Nicolas Bonneville. That's because Tokyo is practically an incense perfume, from start to finish. To understand Tokyo, you must imagine the incense burning on the ember, as if it were made with the base notes, always warm. Now imagine a few pinches of pepper being sprinkled together with cardamom seeds and a bitter wasabi paste, which makes a low sound while it melts. To keep the smoke stronger during the ceremony, chips of hinoki (a cypress of Japanese origin with woody and lemony scent) are added, reinforcing a refreshing smell in the air. The prayers gain strength, while drops of essential oil of roses fall on the embers. Finally, a creaminess emerges, as the smoke dissipates in the air and the fiery red gives way to the white color of the ashes. In terms of projection, the fragrance of Tokyo is not as explosive as of Tel Aviv or London but exudes non-stop and without bothering other people around. It does not evolve much, but it has good longevity. To conclude, I believe it will please the male audience more than the female audience, but it is one of those indispensable items for those who enjoy incense fragrances.

I smell immortelle in top notes, then yuzu, strong pepper, hinoki and sandalwood into dry-down, where it becomes less aftershavey and slightly more unisex I think. I definitely recognise yuzu as it's in Opus by Penhaligon's (which a male friend of mine wears) and in Eau de Soleil by Cartier. I find it has a nice bitter sweetness that seems to really suit spicy perfumes of this nature. Hinoki I'm familiar with from Aroma M's lovely Hinoki Vanilla perfume, which has a delicious juicy lemon and naturalistic vanilla to soften it, making it more typically feminine I suppose I find Tokyo a touch too similar in scent to lots of aftershaves I'm familiar with, so I wouldn't wear it myself, it's nice, though not particularly unusual.

Aaah yess! My kinda scent! Spicy, peppery, woodsy, but also sweet. Definitely feel the hinoki and cardamom, not so much the incense but it does have a nice realistic woodsy aspect to it. Easily one of the best ones in this line but I do agree with some below there is a masculinity to it that might be hard for some. I reckon it's that cedar which for me is always a little too much, but overall still a sweet woodsy unisex scent. I also get a little citrussy yuzu which I would love if it were more pronounced. As for the girl comparison, I see it but to me that is far more piercingly masculine and heavy on the violets. I did think in it's category that smelled quite niche but this is more subtle.

So this is unlike anything I've smelt before...very unique and niche. All the Gallivant perfumes have such intense longevity on me that I can even smell the scent faintly on my wrists the next morning. This evokes a vision in me of a Japanese Buddhist or Zen temple with incense wafting through the temple hall as religious ceremonies are being performed. I love it's uniqueness. It leans more masculine but a female could definitely wear it if she wants to stand out from the crowd. For me it's the type of scent I want to wear at home just for myself.

What I smell: pepper, cardamom, vetiver, leafs of some kind, something sweet but natural - honeysuckle ?? Association: Boss bitch going on a date in Kyoto, unimpressed with her date, she steals his cigars and goes to a relaxing onsen. Overall opinion: Clean spice with a sweet, green base. Beautiful on skin. For anyone who likes spices and sweets but still wants to smell like they shower. 7.5/10

I smell the black pepper. Sprayed this on my skin and waited for 30 minutes to smell it. My first reaction was “this is spicy and woody”. I smell the black pepper and incense. This is unique to my collection as I haven’t smelled anything like this. Performance is average and wouldn’t hurt to get a bottle of this. I think it comes in a 30ml bottle with a cool price.

Primarily a fresh, woody masculine with some throwback vibes - like a Morillas joint from the ‘90s/‘00s or one of those discontinued Gucci bottles the cognoscenti lord over us. The Gallivant dry spice trademark is background, subliminal even, and the whole thing soon disappears gracefully - perhaps befitting the Japanese fragrance scene represented.

Definitely leans masculine. Reminds me a lot CDG's Series 3 line up. It's like a mix of Avignon and Kyoto. My skin accentuates the incense and cedar for most of its wear, ymmv. I wanted the wasabi to be more prominent but it's pretty much nonexistent. Pleasant and unique for what it is.

The initial burst is kind of boring and traditionally masc. After a few minutes it turns into a toasty unisex scent. The dry down reminds me of a less-sweet version of Sogni by Meo Fusciuni.

I like this. Perhaps it’s the amber or the incense. When it dries down this base just lingers and a good friend throughout the day. A really nice calm friend. Might pick up a bottle.

In the opening i get the wasabi quite clearly. It's interesting. But it rather quickly go's away and becomes just pleasant. Reminding me of hugo by hugo boss. But better quality.

Smells like freshly grated wasabi!!