Historic stores · Kamigyo (Imperial Palace west)
Yamadamatsu Incense-Wood 山田松香木店 京都本店
Incense-wood specialist west of the Imperial Palace, trading since 1772, where you can learn the art of 'listening' to incense.
About
Yamadamatsu began as a dealer in medicinal ingredients in the Kyoho era and, from 1772, specialised in fragrant woods and aromatic herbs. Its main store stands on Muromachi-dori just west of the Imperial Palace, where court nobles once lived. The shop sells aloeswood and sandalwood by the piece, incense blends and the small utensils of kodo, the incense ceremony in which participants 'listen' to the scent of heated wood and guess its type. The company still runs a medicinal herb business under an old shop name. Booked workshops at the main store let you try monko, incense listening, or blend your own scented sachet.
Highlights
- Aloeswood and sandalwood sold by weight
- Monko incense-listening and blending workshops
- Quiet shop near the Imperial Palace
Tips
- Open 10:30–17:00; closed 3rd Sunday, Obon and New Year.
- Book workshops in advance through the official site.
Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-19
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