Ikigai

Smells like a pavlova cake with syrupy cherries and light florals. It’s bright and sweet and uplifting, puts you in a good mood, it also reminds me of sweet by Lolita Lempicka. The persistence and sillage are not as great as I’m used to when it comes to Tesori d’Oriente. It is lovely though.

Incredibly good for the low price, I’m really surprised, truly. You get a heavy cherry blossom either way jasmine vanilla and amber, smells incredibly clean and original. I really recommend it if you want to smell good for a bargain.

To me this smells like fresher version La Belle by Jean Paul Gaultier.

As a Japanese admirer of Tesori d’Oriente, I simply couldn’t resist trying this one. The word “Ikigai” carries a deeply philosophical meaning — it refers to one’s reason for being, or what gives life purpose. Seeing such a profound word printed on a soft, powder-pink bottle felt oddly dissonant to me at first. Yet, that very mismatch was what drew me in. I was curious to see how an Italian brand would interpret a concept that feels so intimately Japanese. When it finally arrived and I sprayed it, half-skeptical but intrigued, the answer came softly. It seemed that this fragrance was not meant to represent Ikigai itself, but rather the image of someone who could become another’s Ikigai — gentle, tender, and delicately feminine. Not the meaning of Ikigai itself, but the fragrance of someone who gives meaning to life. The scent is tender and airy, sweetly powdery — like a spring morning when the mountains blush with cherry blossoms and mist. I sense peach and sakura most vividly, followed by jasmine. As for the “Rice Water” note, I find it rather abstract. I often wash rice myself, and this doesn’t smell like that exact aroma — yet it adds a soft, milky, powdery texture that suits the pale pink impression beautifully. Is it “Japanese” in scent? I would say yes, though not in a traditional sense. It doesn’t evoke incense or tatami, but it gracefully captures the gentleness and femininity often associated with Japanese women. This isn’t my usual style of fragrance, yet I find it beautifully done — serene, comforting, and quietly captivating.

Caught up in a fit of compulsive shopping, I emptied the Tesori D'Oriente sector. Having snubbed and/or underestimated it for years and years, despite having appreciated its olfactory performance on several occasions. After reading all the reviews here on Fragrantica I decided to test and experience these cheap fragrances, very synthetic but still pleasant, at worst I will spray them in the rooms... Ikigai by Tesori d'Oriente is a fresh fragrance with an olfactory pyramid that evokes evocative Japanese atmospheres, a floral hymn of delicate evanescence, fresh citrus notes of bergamot harmoniously follow each other, fused with notes juicy peach and the superb whiteness of the wonderful cherry blossoms that give its name to this poetic symphony, the heart opens onto multiple floral scenarios. The base is all framed by sweet vanilla notes steeped in woody and amber notes, forming a magical delicate blend.