Rakugan (Sugar Sweets)

This is really lovely. The honey and wax smell I get is actually a near perfect replication of Asian milk bread, a scent that you don't find in other pastries. It's very distinct and brings a smile to my face as I think about the smell of all the Chinese and Japanese bakeries I frequent. It's a lovely scent, sweet but not cloying, unlike the latest rash of marshmallow and candy scents we've been inundated with. Comforting, but not your typical vanilla comfort scent, perhaps more rice-based and powdery . Interestingly, rakugan is the name of the mochi sweets popular in Japan, not their milk bread, yet milk bread is what I identify. Rakugan is unique and I expect to apply it frequently. Will be getting a bottle, pronto. Edit: just thought of a good comparison--this smells like honey toast made with milk bread

I've never tried rakugan, but to me it smells like a secret recipe of french toast that's been candied made with love that's served with maple syrup and glass of milk. Smells so delicious 🩷

I love this... it's sweet, happy, peachy, and unabashedly girly. It opens like candy, but after a short time I smell a lot more of the peach.

I was looking forward to trying this as I loved the idea of a fragrance inspired by Rakugan. Now Rakugan doesn't have a super defined smell or taste, but I imagined something powdery, a little bit sugary with the malted flavour of ground rice flour (most common base for Rakugan). There's no fruit involved but I appreciated J-Scent wanting to express the colourful presentation of Rajugan in perfume form. This was a blind buy and when I received the bottle, I noted that it said 'New Formula' so I'm not sure what was changed. On my bottle the Maple note is a middle note, and indeed I don't get any in the opening. It's very fruity. I catch the apricot the most, then apple. It's a very candy-like fruit though, which reminds me of the giant candy balls you'd get at Japanese summer festivals. It then dries down into a sweeeeeet vanilla with hints of candy fruit. I did catch some cedar but the base is otherwise really subtle. It's not unpleasant, but it's an interesting one to wear on its own. I was conflicted each time I sniffed. Do I like it or not? Today I layered it with Voyage d'Hermes (I find it a touch too sharp and dry) and they complemented each other really well. I'll happily try the other J-Scents though may wait until someone can get me a discovery set direct from Japan as it's not cheap shipping full bottles to Australia! I might add for those who find J-Scent's projection/sillage weak. Japanese people do not enjoy strong perfumes. Most live/function in close quarters so wearing a beast mode frag would be considered bad etiquette. Scents are worn intimately and subtle wins out every time.

Was intrigued by the couple of reviews commenting that this smelled like a japanese bakery, but on my skin—true to its name—this was all about rock sugar candy. Think powdered konpeito with a playful burst of jammy apricot at the start. There’s an initial softness, but it quickly descends into a denser sweetness that feels more like solidified maple syrup than fluffy milk bread. I do detect that waxy quality mentioned in the reviews, like crystallised, coated fine candy, almost a little synthetic to wear comfortably. Thankfully, the waxiness begins to fade after a while, leaving behind a sugary confectionery finish that clings like dusted icing sugar on sticky fruit-syrup-ed fingertips. Rakugan is undeniably charming for those who love your sweet gourmands, but it does walk a fine line between a delightful sweet treat and indulging in one too many. Pure, concentrated sweetness, adorable—also slightly deadly.

cozy and clean baby-doll kinda scent, starts off very strong on the maple, with a touch of stone fruit sweetness, and ends sugary and powdery and just a tiny hit of iris; most of the other notes, i do not get at all. if anything, to me this comes off as a bit like baby powder, but it's very wearable, especially with the intimate j-scent range. it's a very girl-ish perfume, this is also one of very few gourmands that i enjoy wearing, as i feel like fruity, vanilla-y scents just aren't what i personally like to smell like.

I find this quite delicate and delicious. It surprised me with a very strong vanilla-whisky note but quickly settled down into a uniquely sweet scent that reminded me of a bowl of old-fashioned American hard candies (the pearlescent white ones with stripes) with a dash of natural root beer. While I can't detect much of an apricot note I find the maple note very warm and addictive. I have never tried Japanese rakugan confections before but would be interested in doing so now. Seriously contemplating buying a full bottle.

starts prune/plummy, creamy hot chocolate, maybe cinnamon.. gently replaced by a powdery caramelly violet. then, suddenly, out of nowhere, out of left field, utterly unpredictably, earthy! dirt. green, rose? finally: a bouquet left in stale stagnant water next to a dried-out bowl of candy. happy valentine's day.

Rock candy, babydoll heads, scented erasers. I like it well enough, but I have to actively sniff my arm to find the scent.

ON BLOTTER: This has a very baby doll smell to me. The peach + iris + strawberry + maple combination evoke a sweet plastic accord, this is what the doll's little pink painted toe nail foot might smell like. It also makes me think of other plastick-y but scented things - like scented erasers. It feels distinctly tactile + manmade, like a plastic doll or eraser, perhaps a little like a gourmand French Marshmallow -- like marshmallowy, fluffly, and subtle floral/fruity, but with something plasticky.

Rock sugar candy in a syrupy sweet warm water infusion. I’m not the most obsessed with gourmands but this smells so succulent and not like a fragrance that “smells like food”, this is woody, crystal sweet, wearable and almost boozy. Similar but nicer than Whispering Kiss by Le Persona.

I wanted a sweet peach fragrance, but this isn't it. Too spicy, it's almost like it tries too hard.

Smells like lightly sugared cereal. I smell a distinct biscuit note. Smells nice. -

I'm a little disappointed–like many of the reviews mention, it has a plasticky, waxy smell that is unpleasant. I think it may be the tonka bean, which gives it a certain type of creaminess but also a note that smells like a crayon/wax melt. Not for me!

I really didn’t like this it all. I was expecting something sweet but it was extremely powdery on my skin. Definitely not a repurchase for me nothing exciting.

Opens with alcohol and overly sweet maple syrup. Has a hint of iris in the middle. Ends with baby powder and maple syrup. Hard pass. The idea that rose, apple, peach, strawberry, and vanilla are in this is absolutely ridiculous. Get this for someone who willingly consumes a Kings Cup monstrosity and pretends like they can pick out all ten different drinks used to make it. 1/10.

This was a risky blind buy for me considering I don't like fruity fragrances-- luckily If I hadn't seen the notes I would never think this had any fruit or maple in it. The notes feel pretty indistinguishable in order to create the fantasy 'rakugan' note. But I agree with a previous reviewer, this also smells like milk bread! It's lightly sweet, and it has that airy bready quality to it, especially in the opening. The website says it's supposed to smell like raw brown sugar while being fresh and clean. I can definitely see that. I haven't really smelled a perfume like this before and it's lighthearted and comforting.

As if someone opened up a bag of mixed lollies, multiple artificial flavours swirled together to form an overwhelming impression of sweet fruit candy. Does settle down to include a slight "biscuit" note, as commented on below - but a sugar biscuit, covered in icing. It's actually super fun to smell - like walking into a confectionary store - but I'm not sure if I'd want to wear this!

This reminds me of a powdery preserved plum, sugary, tart, and salty simultaneously. If I try really hard to dismiss that and dissect the notes, I can see the maple and a lot of wood. I guess the apricot is what gives it tartness. But this is all in hindsight. It doesn’t smell like rakugan to me, but rakugan also never had too much of a scent to me.

I was wearing this and my friend said "who's eating cinnamon sugar?" and I can definitely see that, but I also get the maple and fruit. The sugar is very prominent but in a particular dessert gourmand way. I get a Hello Kitty vibe from this and it feels a little young-girl-ish but I do enjoy it sometimes and it stands out among other gourmands.

I think ppl were expecting a different kind of sweet, if you’ve tried Japanese milk bread you’d know it smells exactly like this! Japanese bakery with fluffy maple and custard pastries. I am content just to smell the sample from time to time and dab some on when I want to travel but my wallet doesn’t

the uber-moist and unripe nature of the peach somewhat ruins this. it starts off quite rakugan-esque (the biscuits, that is), but the peach develops and overshadows the rest of this, unfortunately... worth a try, but not really my cup of tea...

not particularly good or exciting, this smells powdery and sweet in a generic way. reminds me of some perfume oils i've sampled from indie houses that didn't work on me -- a little plastic, not fruity or candied in the way i was hoping for.

I got a sample of this and it smells like straight-up baby powder. Really disappointed, I was hoping for those fruity notes to come through.

French toast with a side of rose petals. Fun to sniff. Very pleasant.

Deeply unpleasant...like a sour Yankee Candle made into a perfume.