Kihachiro Nishiura

by KONAMI YODA
Hokubei Mainichi

The Japanese Consulate in San Francisco sponsored a demonstration of the ancient Heian art of kodo, or Japanese incense, as part of the millennial celebration of the literary classic “The Tale of Genji.”

The special guest lecturer for this event, held Nov. 14 at the Japan Information Center, was Kihachiro Nishiura of the Nishiura Style of kodo, who introduced this uniquely Japanese art while shedding light on the culture of the Heian imperial court.

Nishiura, who runs an antique shop in Minamiaoyama, Tokyo, is active in spreading the culture of harmony not only in Japan but also throughout the world.

He said, “Heian culture without incense would have been dull indeed.”

Important Part of Fashion

Kodo was not just a part of official ceremonies. It was an expression of beauty and feeling, one that transcended words. It was also an important part of fashion.

Nishiura referred to certain parts of “The Tale of Genji” that pay homage to kodo. Through his demonstrations, participants were able to experience the fragrance and were shown a small incense lamp carried in the sleeve of a kimono.

In the Heian era, people valued the beauty in the lingering scent that settled in a room after a guest’s departure as it was carried on a soft breeze. It was actually more desirable to have a slight fragrance rather than fill the room with the strong smell of incense.

Nishiura showed this by performing soradaki, a technique by which the practitioner makes the fragrance of incense float through the room through a series of graceful movements.

“Listening” to Fragrance

“Kodo is about ‘listening’ to the fragrance,” he said. “You slowly breathe the fragrance into your belly. Try to feel the fragrance as it moves throughout your body.”

As an authority on the subject, Nishiura is not bound by a particular school or style of kodo. He emphasized the importance of making this ancient art approachable. “The beauty of kodo is not conveyed through rules or formality. I want to make the enjoyment of incense accessible to all people in an informal way.”

Kiyomi Koide was one of the participants that enjoyed the event. “The concept of bringing the fragrance of incense into the body is quite interesting,” she said. “I was surprised to learn they were coming up with such novel ideas back then.”

Lesser-Known Culture

When asked about the motivation behind organizing the event, Deputy Consul Ken Sakaguchi noted that many groups in the Bay Area introduce Japanese culture through the tea ceremony or other traditional arts. He wondered how he could contribute to that in a different way. “That was when we decided to introduce lesser-known Japanese culture and classical literature.”

Sakaguchi shared his reflections on the event. “People in the Heian era spent a lot of time in darkened rooms. They often didn’t see each other directly, so a person could tell a lot about how cultured a person was from their kimono, their penmanship, and their sense of fragrance. They would imagine what type of person they were, and friendships and even love would blossom from these customs.

“This tradition helps teach us that it’s not a person’s appearance that is important. Rather, it’s what’s on the inside.”

Translated by Lefteris Kafatos