Baieido Ieyasu Tokugawa – Japanese Agarwood Incense Sticks 30 g

Baieido Ieyasu Tokugawa are Japanese incense sticks with a gentle and mild agarwood fragrance. They belong to the Samurai series by the long-established manufacturer Baieido, dedicated to Japan's three great unifiers: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Introduced on 12 December 2018, this fragrance composition pays tribute to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate and a renowned admirer of precious agarwood.

A gentle and mild agarwood fragrance

The fragrance composition of Ieyasu Tokugawa contains natural agarwood, known in Japanese as Jinkō (沈香). This precious aromatic wood is one of the most important fragrance materials in traditional Japanese incense culture.

Baieido describes the fragrance as gentle and mild. The characteristic agarwood aroma is presented here in a subtle, balanced composition. This distinguishes Ieyasu Tokugawa from the rich and powerful Nobunaga Oda and the distinctive yet soft Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

The manufacturer does not disclose the complete formula. Natural agarwood is a confirmed ingredient, while the other aromatic components cannot be reliably identified.

Tokugawa Ieyasu – The founder of the Edo period

Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康, 1543–1616) was the third of Japan's great unifiers. Following Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he succeeded in consolidating political power permanently under his rule.

His decisive military achievement was his victory at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Three years later, Ieyasu was appointed Shōgun and established the Tokugawa shogunate, with its seat of government in Edo, present-day Tokyo.

Under the rule of the Tokugawa family, a long period of political stability began, known as the Edo period. The shogunate lasted until 1868 and shaped Japanese society, art and culture for more than two and a half centuries.

Tokugawa Ieyasu and Japanese fragrance culture

Tokugawa Ieyasu was not only an important statesman but also a connoisseur and admirer of agarwood. Precious aromatic woods were highly valued in Japan at the time and played an important role both in courtly culture and in the traditional incense ceremony known as Kōdō.

The appreciation of rare aromatic materials was among the cultural interests of high-ranking figures. Ieyasu's particular fondness for agarwood therefore provides a fitting historical background for the incense composition dedicated to him.

Baieido Ieyasu Tokugawa is a contemporary creation honouring the third unifier of Japan, rather than a reconstruction of a historical formula from his lifetime.

The Samurai series by Baieido

With this series, Baieido combines the Japanese incense tradition with the history of the three figures who played decisive roles in the unification of Japan. Each of the three fragrance compositions has its own distinctive character, with agarwood as the central aromatic ingredient shared by all three.

The black packaging of Ieyasu Tokugawa features a green and gold label displaying the Tokugawa family crest, consisting of three stylised hollyhock leaves, together with a decorative illustration of a samurai helmet. The design reflects the historical significance of the military leader.

Product features

• Manufacturer: Baieido
• Product: Ieyasu Tokugawa (徳川家康)
• Series: Samurai – The Three Great Unifiers of Japan
• Origin: Japan
• Confirmed aromatic ingredient: natural agarwood (Jinkō)
• Fragrance character: gentle and mild
• Contents: 30 g, approx. 100 incense sticks
• Burning time: approx. 30 min per stick
• Launch date: 12 December 2018
• Manufacturer reference: 338

To use, light the tip of an incense stick, gently blow out the flame and place the glowing stick in a suitable, heat-resistant incense holder. Ensure adequate ventilation while burning incense and never leave the glowing stick unattended.