Ginza Murasaki

This delicate yet powerful fragrance takes some time to develop before being judged. It not only deserves this time, it could also save you from a "too quick shopping disappointment". First spray: fruity-floral, which reminds me of today's Dior perfumes like Absolutly Blooming or even the current version of Miss Dior EDP. But it also has a certain freshness and I think it can cheer you up on warm days. Yes, it starts out as a simple fruity floral perfume, but a delicate one. It then evolves into a woody, floral scent - starting with a creamy lilac floral breeze. Sometimes I also get a green note at this stage, but I remember other fragrances with cashmeran-centric base notes leaving a minty, green patchouli impression on my skin. It finishes distinctly woody, even a bit smoky (cool, windy weather experience, may develop differently in warmer weather). The red apple note comes and goes throughout its development, allowing it to retain its showery freshness and summer vibes. Do I get the violet notes above? Only a bit. On my skin, the lilac (wisteria) is stronger. So if you're not into woody base notes, be careful not to buy too quickly. But if you are looking for an all-round perfume that suits both formal office elegance and summer shopping trips, you could be happy with this perfume. At various stages of fragrance development it reminds me of many other fragrances without being too similar: Calvin Klein Euphoria (pomegranate), Lancome Idole (the journey from fruity-floral to woody base), Gucci Guilty EDP (lilac and patchouli minus amber and citrus notes), the cashmeran freshness in the base is even reminiscent of Narciso R. Pure Musc. If I had to sum it up in one sentence, it could be a fresher, less syrupy, and much smoother and smarter summertime version of CK Euphoria.

This perfume is a love for me. I really like the original Ginza, but this one is even more captivating. It has a lot in common with the original in the initial spray (sweet fruitiness dominates), but in the drydown it takes on a personality of its own; floral, musky and gorgeous, like the slightly more mature and aloof sister of the vivacious, youthful original. Both perfumes are beautiful, but Murasaki really has me under its spell. I was excited to see they’d released a new flanker in the line, and l managed to get a sample of it from a great seller on eBay. I ordered a full 50mL as soon as I tried it. I am in total agreement with the reviewers before me who note the amazing sillage for the first two hours or so of wear. Overspraying is thus unnecessary, but reapplication later in the day might be. Spraying on clothes really helps its longevity, as does using the branded body lotion that comes in its launch gift set with a 50mL bottle here in the UK. I’ve also found spraying one or two spritzes into unscented body lotion achieves similar results. I also do one spray in my hair, just on initial application. But I still get whiffs even from one spray on my clothes 24 hours later. If you like Ginza or other juicy florals, you’re likely to like this one. I was a little hesitant because of the violet, but it’s gentle and blended in with the other notes beautifully. A reviewer below commented that this isn’t a “purple” fragrance; I completely understand where they’re coming from, but I would say that this is a “purple” version of Ginza, specifically. :)

I'm a Japanese living in Tokyo.(That's why I usually only speak Japanese, I am sorry that my English is so bad. sorry 🙏) I've loved faint scent of shiseido-fragrance, since I was 15. But, This is not sold in Japanese stores... I wish they would sell it in Japan too!! I got this as a personal import. Japanese tend to prefer subtle scents. I apply this eau de parfum on my arm and then wipe a little with a handkerchief,and wear clothes over it. And I also carry that handkerchief with me. By doing this, the skin has a feminine floral scent, And I can enjoy the fresh fruity scent from the handkerchief. I can enjoy the scent it likes "GUERLAIN,Champs-Élysées" makes it more vivid and sensual. This is how to use everyone praised me.☺️ The scent changes depending on the day,But I love GINZA MURASAKI🥰💓

I see lots of people saying this is an almost gourmand fragrance, which is very apple-forward. I agree that the apple is very prominent and the overall first impression as you spray it ie top notes are quite like that. But after the initial fruity blast, it settles into the most elegant, and not at all teenage-ey, scent. It is a very subtle composition, despite not being tame in projection. Like many good Japanese perfumes, it manages to use familiar notes to create an intriguing yet delicate twist that is not in your face. It's not cloying, and not quite like every other apple scent out there. There is a light and perfectly blended green and slightly bitter undertone to it that makes it stand out amongst the peers. The unpretentious Japanese "je ne sais quoi", if you will.

I don't think the rating does this fragrance justice. I got this as a sample with a fragrence I bought and it just smells so lovely and feminine. Great fresh and sweet smell. I showed this, aswell as a couple other samples, to my office pals. All the guys agreed this was by far the best one. Bought a full bottle for my girlfriend Update after she wore it a couple of times: For the first 1-2 Hours projection is really strong. I was able to catch whiffs of it all through the day whenever she wore it, so it seems to last for quite a long time, allthough sillage becomes moderate after those initial 1-2 hours. I definitely don‘t regret buying this for her.

Ginza Murasaki has recently become a huge love of mine. To me, it is an ode to happiness and smelling it makes my heart beat faster, just like when I am reading a poem by Walt Whitman or a novel by Goethe. It evokes carefree spring days with friends in the city, going for lunch, shopping, trying new perfumes and eating ice cream in the park. It is the balance of fruity / floral / musky notes that combines elegance and playfulness. Therefore, I can see the versatility of this fragrance. It is quite strong for an EdP and I have to be careful not to overspray it, otherwise I risk a headache. Longevity on my clothes is easily 12 hours and more.

The most scrumptious fragnance in my collection! For some reason, it kinda smells like liquorice on my skin, and much more fruity than floral (I don't really like white flowers, so this is a huge plus in my books). I was given this on the spot when my friend smelled how it reacted with my skin chemistry, which often ruins a lot of promising perfumes for me, so I was thrilled I finally found something it works perfectly with. Delicious, fresh, bubbly and flirty, I couldn't imagine existing without this pink bottle of happiness. If I could marry a perfume, I would already be on my knees.

Obsessed is an understatement. Ginza Murasaki has been my go-to spring scent, and honestly, I don’t see that changing anytime soon. It’s the perfect mix of fresh, floral, and a little bit cozy—basically, it makes you smell like that girl without even trying. It lasts all day without being overpowering, and I always get compliments when I wear it. If you’re into floral scents that are elegant but still modern and fun, this one is a total must-have. 10/10, highly recommend.

I think the blend of the notes is quite unexpected - floral yet very fruity in the opening, good projection and a floral heart of notes you know already from other perfumes, but here they are mixed with a different and quite unique result. Feels more suitable for spring than for summer, though. It's my first time with a Japanese perfume and certainly won't be the last! What's more, this one is a real compliment-getter!

feminine delicate, but kinda cold. more fruity than woody imo. not quite a mature scent, it doesnt develop as much as others, but it s good for women in their early 30s. it really smells like the color, i have it specifically for that, and it is a beautiful blend. it s delicate but determined.

This got to the top of my wishlist superfast. I already have Ginza Night which I adore. I am not a fan of the OG Ginza. But Ginza Murasaki is just so lovely! To me it smells floral, sweet, creamy, like a hug from a super feminine kind woman. A woman I want to be.. at day time at least :)

I'm onto my 2nd bottle and it's my most reliable mood lifter; sweet without being cloying and bringing bold floral and neon vibes. Slightly obsessed with this one and glad I sniffed it a few times when I was in Spain as I've not seen it in any UK stores.

I don't like Ginza because of the Pink Pepper.. This Murasaki one on the other hand is wonderful. I like this floral perfume, it is different. Not cloying or synthetic but soft, fresh and uplifting.

One of the best feminine fragrances I've come across. I honestly didn't expect anyone to dislike it, but I was surprised to see some hate ratings as well.

I really like this perfume. It got me instantly when I smelled the bottle cap in the store. So I tested it out. And overall I'm considering buying a bottle. It opens with huge pile of extra juicy apples with the tiniest bit of florals and it's really honestly captivating. There's softness to the scent through the entire development. The only sad thing is that apple and pomegranate disappear after like an hour for me. So it becomes more of a fresher floral then. The sandalwood for me is really only on the background, so it's not super woody on my skin at least. In general I would say that it does have a bit of a Japanese vibe. I would also agree with the previous reviewer that the sillage is insane (!!) for the first 2 hours. There are not many perfumes that have this kind of a reach. After that it becomes more of a skin scent on me surprisingly. But the first 2 hours is very powerful, so if you want to keep the original sillage you probably should refresh it. The bottle itself is cheap looking unfortunately. So it's not really a display perfume to me, more like a brilliant every day perfume.

Ginza Murasaki opens very fruity. Soon scent fades into flowering to evolve ultimately into a dreamy drydown in which gradually the woods open beautifully to amaze. The first few moments it smells of juicy jellied fruit, blended in a tasty whirlwind of whipped mousse. I think they gave the fruit juice, and pomegranate in particular, grace and elegance. Compared to Ginza it has the sophisticated bottle, elegantly sober and very meaningful, and the woody aspects in common. While skin sublimates in the drydown the woods and the melting of glycine and violet, my clothes do not smell as beautifully. So I'll wait a few more moments before getting dressed to avoid permeate the clothes. This detail does not affect how delightful the perfume is. Spring is the season that introduced me to it while wearing it brings me thoughts to sunny autumn days. Marvelous! ☆ I'd like to know if '80s Murasaki Shiseido and Ginza Murasaki have something in common, despite having different composition. Thanks a million to those who will answer me on the matter.

This one was literally a surprise for me, as I thought I had ordered the original Ginza through an online store, but this is what I received. I looked at the store’s item description, and they don’t indicate anywhere that it’s Murasaki. The darker color of the bottle pictured didn’t register at the time I ordered it. Oops. Anyway! The good news is that I ended up liking Murasaki quite a lot and will happily use up the whole 90ml. It’s predominantly fruity to me and very, very feminine. The problem is that it’s very similar to several fragrances I already own (Dolce Violet comes to mind), albeit Murasaki sits on the sophisticated end of fruity florals and the bottle is to die for gorgeous. Projection is decent for the first couple of hours, then it settles into a softer skin scent for a few more. It does last on clothes longer than my skin. It’s never cloying. I think if you can find this on discount and you enjoy youthful (not juvenile) fruity florals, it’s worth adding to your collection.

Something in the dry down of this scent reminds me a tad of Lacoste Pour Femme and inspection of the notes reveals that they do have quite a few in common! I think this scent is lovely. It has many layers that manage to stay distinct throughout the life of the scent. The one thing that bothers me is a hint of something at the base which must be an aspect of the cashmeran: sometimes it reads suedy/leathery (recalling Lacoste Pour Femme) but other times it leans more vanilla-y and I don't like that nearly as much. We'll see. I might get a small travel spray of this one because I do find it captivating, vanilla notwithstanding. Edit - 12/25 - Got a travel spray and still undecided. I guess that means I won't be proceeding to a full size bottle, at least not at this point. Edit #2 - 3/26 - this one is really growing on me. Really enjoying my travel spray. Definitely considering a FB now...

I tried this fragrance in store the same day I tried Ginza (the first). Ginza is more delicate and subtle, more imperceptible and ordinary, while Ginza Murasaki has a more intense scent and is more durable on my skin. It would have been strange if I didn't like it, since when I looked at the notes later I saw that most of them are my favorites (apple, jasmine, woods, violets...). It opens very fruity, especially noticing the 🍏 and then there is an evolution towards flowers where some are slightly perceived and the wisteria stands out, which is the one I am least familiar with. When drying, the wood is perceived, but the sandalwood only very slightly. I know it will stand out more when the weather gets warmer but I'm happy with the purchase. For a floral/fruity EDP, it lasts quite well, staying on my skin for 6~7 hours.

Ginza Murasaki by Shiseido is a fragrance inspired by Murasaki Shikibu, a Japanese writer and poet who lived in the second half of the year 900/1000. A heroine and national forerunner of free female literary thought, given the restrictive and limiting times on women. The fragrance evokes Zen paths in luxuriant fruity gardens, rich in sour pomegranates, green apples and a wonderful floral riot where wisteria and violet masterfully coexist with the softer white floral notes, all melodically combined with the fresh boises and épices accords, which give to this fresh and fruity bland a powdery, feminine and reassuring enveloping. Fruity but not gourmand sillage. Appreciable duration.

I don’t usually go for sweet fruit bombs, but I think the purple flowers are saving it for me (and I also love freesia). After getting a sample and finishing it up in a couple of days, I just had to go get a bottle. The scent is loud and joyful and vivacious. The fruitiness reminds me of shampoo/warm soapy showers, but the florals and woodiness are keeping it classy and elegant. It’s beautifully balanced. I don’t wear it too often, but it definitely has a place in my collection.

If you are a fan of fruity-florals like Miss Dior, you'll probably like Ginza Murasaki. Very inoffensive. It's the kind of fragrance I imagine Snow White to have been wearing as she lay in her magic glass coffin after accidentally taking a bite of that demonic stalker witch's cursed apple. It's the scent of crisp woods, violet purity, & fresh apple shampoo. Nice, but not groundbreaking. A safe blind buy if you need something generic & office-safe.

She is the lovechild of CK's Euphoria & D&G's The only one intense. it's reminiscent of both parties yet still has a character of her own. crisp, perfectly tart green apple + pomegranate, some vague perfumey white florals that drown in some type of creamy woody balm as it evolves. makes me think of one of those AI constructed, neon colored perfect metropolitan rooms you had to choose in shorts featuring Ark Patrol's Let go...

I'm really glad that I got this new fragrance from Shiseido. I prefer this over the original that was more subtle. Ginza Murasaki opens very fruity, it has nice apple/pomegranate notes. It turns floral with lovely violets that linger longer on the skin. It lasts me about 6+ hours of wear

A gift from my mom! Very pleasant scent, floral, pretty, inoffensive - good for the office, for a walk, when you just feel like smelling good. It is not a very complex scent, but it smells like spring. Longevity is on the lower end of moderate - around 2.5-3 hours, which is a pity.

Murasaki is a more sour version of OG Ginza, I prefer this one over Ginza and Idole by Lancôme. But as always Shiseido has chosen a cheap looking design and materials for their bottles

That one is the best from this line. Very fresh, sweet ,but not too much, has an unusual uplifting arome. (I dislike this brand, that means it's a really good flanker)

Night, datura and i tense are better than the original but still...too light on the skin..only in the drydown it can be detected a bit...you get hints of it

Fresh fruity apple with white florals. Uplifting and sweet. But it treads the borderline on smelling like a fruity shampoo.

A lovely floral perfume. It does smell purple to me, although rather soft.

Finaly I found a dupe for Pure desire de Mimose from Yves Rocher !

I quite like the Ginza collection - it's very feminine, floral-fruity, elegant and wearable. Not too juvenile or too mature. I understand why some may call it basic, but it's basic in a good sense. I'd rather call it versatile; a capsule wardrobe for perfumes. The original Ginza being the most versatile, elegant and basic of all three. On a more negative note, it is not groundbreaking and similar to some other perfumes; therefore it may be redundant to buy it. I totally agree with MsAd89 below. It hits you with a wonderfully fresh, fruity blast and turns into a girlish, carefree floral. Not too woody - all these cashmeran and sandalwood notes are not prominent, but give a bit soapy impression in the background. On me it gets a bit headache inducing but not suffocating if you don't overspray. It sits between original Ginza and Intense in this compartment, original being the least nauseating and Intense the most. The general quality of Shiseido scents - I have Zen and original Ginza + samples of Murasaki and Intense fragrances - is good. They may turn a bit soapy or sweet but never too synthetic and are well blended. If you're looking for a comparison between the Ginza collection: 1) Original Ginza is the most floral, inoffensive, subtle and versatile, and a safe blind buy to majority of people. It can be worn by all ages, in all seasons, day and night. It never gets ugly in the drydown and is not prominent on anything in particular. Some may say it lacks personality because of that, but it also makes it a beautiful perfume for any occasion. I imagine it as a perfect first floral scent for a young woman, who just discovers the world beyond gourmands. If you look at the Japanese inspirations, this is a young, beautiful wife during her wedding day. 2) Ginza Murasaki is the most juvenile of these three, rather pink than violet. The colours of bottles really say everything about this collection. This one is a young, romantic girl walking in Akihabara - not too crazy but still surrounded by neon lights, lollipops and video games. 3) Ginza Intense is the most sweet and sensual of them. It hits you with black currant and turns into a fruity rose scent. It's a lover met in the red and purple neon street after midnight. Not a femme fatale scent by any means, but intoxicating enough to evoke a hint of sexual attraction. If this is your ballpark, I'd however recommend La Nuit Tresor as far more sexier and not as mature as Si Passione - two perfumes that have similar vibe to Ginza Intense; you can read more about in on the Intense page. For me, the original Ginza is just what I need in my collection and potentially something every woman may want to have. I pass on Murasaki and Intense as fragrances I find OK but I can live without them. If you already own Ginza and are wondering whether to blind buy Murasaki/Intense, I strongly recommend sampling as you may find out they are less elegant or something that you just don't need.

When I first got this, I was really disappointed with the performance, the smell was barely noticable and only lasted for an hour on skin (and even weaker on paper). I pressed out the air and let it sit for 3-4 weeks and it improved considerably. I just think that for a fragrance in this price range this is quite unacceptable. I got it from a reliable seller and checked the batch code, it was produced in 10/2024. However, the performance is still closer to EdT concentation. I would describe the scent as aquatic floral and almost girly sweet, juvenile. Pomegranate adds a bit of acidity and tartness in the opening, but I find the apple here unnecessary, considering it also includes wisteria (and I really wanted to love this fragrance because of it, and violet); after trying several fragrances, I noticed that those with apple note listed often appear to be somehow "diluted", watery. From the pyramid notes, I expected a more grounded scent in the drydown. Well, light sweet fruity floral is all I get out of this. If you own Amethyst Exquise, or similar, then this is redundant. They both fall (unfortunatelly) in the same category of too light/airy, poorly balanced florals scents, but AE at least has that fabulous opening for the first hour. ** Edit, after 2 months: this is indeed a strangely mixed fragrance: upon opening, the scent was barely detectable; improved a bit in 3-4 weeks, now after 2 months this is finally an EdP with very solid performance (I have changed my performance votes above). Apparently, that Orbitone finally woke up from hibernation. ;) But the profile has remained the same, fresh but light fruity floral, mostly apple/wisteria and violet. I keep it in my 'in the limbo section', it might prove useful for layering sometime in the future.

This is a nice shampoo scent, but I expected a little more from it. The original Ginza is fruity-floral shampoo perfection to me and I hoped this would be a more serious version of it with intense, powdery purple florals. Well, it's not as purple as I thought. Instead, the green apple note is very pronounced. Together with the pomegranate and transparent, dewy florals of the original, it smells even more shampoo-ish. No specific color comes to my mind when I smell this, but if I had to assign a color to this, it would be a light, reddish pink, not purple. Ginza's heavier base notes of patchouli and hinoki were replaced with cashmeran, so this has a little less depth, the base is sweeter, creamier and lighter instead. I'm not the biggest fan of green apple notes, especially not the shampoo-clean kind, so this isn't for me. It's nice enough, I wouldn't mind smelling it on someone, but to my nose, it's the less interesting version of Ginza.

Not groundbreaking, not surprising. Very expected and safe buy. If female NPCs wear perfumes I feel like they would smell like this perfume. It can suit probably to every environment since it is such a background scent almost like cleaning product scent. I must say maybe more suitable for a mature lady who likes to smell nice but doesn’t like overpowering or overly confident scents. It reminded me the scent my mom was wearing when she was 45-50yo. For that price range I would add few dollars/ euros more and buy a niche perfume.

Start is beautiful - juicy, floral, full of water and charm. Soon it turns chemical and as if too intense. It just gave me a headache. Possibly it represents Tokyo. Neon lights, heavy traffic, lollipops, suspicious chemicals, acidic pink drinks. Plastic pink toys... I will try it in warmer weather, but as of now - I can definitely live without it. Just a sample vial test. And I regret applying it.

Beautiful scent, very feminine, versatile, however it lasts practically 30 minutes on my skin. Dissapointing, wont be buying again

Why doesn't it even try to smell 'purple'? It's not exactly disappointing but it could've been more violet-centric, it's even advertised as such. Such a gorgeous sculptural bottle, a beautiful vivacious colour and the perfume is completely and utterly unfitting. It isn't exactly lacking - i'm sure it's made to be an universally-appealing sweet floral with a fresh, kind of shampooey start and a soft cashmeran base, there are way more boring things on the shelves, considering this conveys quite a lush and rounded feeling once the Fructis phase quiets down, and the performance is surprisingly good as well. This is just not what you can imagine coming out of this bottle somehow. I highly recommend to test it before buying, it might be a hit, as for myself, it didn't blow me away, but I can understand the appeal.

For a masterpiece commentary on the capacity of Shiseido's perfumes, if you can find the vintage Murasaki in the dark burgundy bottle, get it. It's supremely ethereal and delicate, a masterful display of restraint and balance, with notes of peach, dewy greens (galbanum), hyacinth, gardenia, lily of the valley, powdery iris, dry vetiver, creamy sandalwood, over a leather and incense base. The ultimate interplay of depth, of lightness of being, of delicacy and groundness. This new release can't even approach the masterpiece that was the original Shiseido Murasaki, released in the 1980s. Thankfully, I have two vintage bottles from when I was a perfume sales associate in the 1980s..

Starts off with a fruity blast, mostly of apple. Over the next two hours, it's developing into a lovely floral cloud, rather like being under one of those wisteria tunnels, as found in large gardens, on a sunny spring day. Notes of violet, not very woody at all, just enough to underpin the soft florals. Really enjoying the sensory experience on a cold, snowy day.

Smells generic to me. Like a 16-year-old girl hanging out at the mall on a spring day. I hate that this may sound snobby, but it would be lovely for a person not too deep into niche perfumery or more complex scents.

This smells similar to the others from this line, just a bit sweeter. It’s pretty. More young girl than Femme Fatale. It’s feminine and pleasant, but nothing groundbreaking.

Strong as hell, I love the originial Ginza though...way better...so beautiful... This one feels to me so peppery it bites my nose://

Has anyone found this yet in the U.S.? I haven't found any store selling it, not even Shiseido USA ....

very nice floral and fruity, not a lot of wood, and definitely leans towards fruity