Shoyeido Hakuun White Cloud – 490 Japanese Incense Sticks

Shoyeido Hakuun – White Cloud belongs to the classic Daily Incense collection by Shoyeido, the Japanese incense manufacturer based in Kyoto, also known as Nature & Tradition. This traditional fragrance composition combines sandalwood, benzoin resin, cloves, borneol camphor and other spices to create a warm, woody and balsamic incense fragrance with spicy and fresh aromatic nuances. This Japanese version contains 490 short incense sticks in a large original box.

A complex fragrance with sandalwood, benzoin and spices

The fragrance of Hakuun is characterised by the interplay of warm woody notes, balsamic resinous aromas and spicy accents. Sandalwood contributes a soft, woody fragrance note, while benzoin resin, with its distinctive resinous and slightly sweet aroma, adds to the warm character of the composition.

Cloves complement this fragrance with an aromatic, slightly piquant spiciness. The borneol camphor also present is known for its fresh, camphor-like fragrance nuances and creates an interesting contrast with the warmer woody and resinous notes.

Additional spices complete the blend. The result is a woody, balsamic and spicy incense fragrance with a subtle aromatic freshness. The exact proportions of the individual fragrance ingredients are unknown, but their different qualities give Hakuun its distinctive scent.

Hakuun – White Cloud

The Japanese name Hakuun (白雲) means "white cloud". In Shoyeido's international range, the same fragrance line is offered under the spelling Haku-Un – White Cloud.

Clouds are a recurring motif in traditional Japanese landscape painting and poetry. They appear above mountain landscapes, between wooded slopes and across the open sky, forming part of the poetic imagery of Japanese representations of nature.

This inspiration is also reflected in the design of the original Japanese packaging. The combination of rich blue, warm golden-yellow tones and stylised cloud motifs gives the box a distinctive appearance reminiscent of traditional Japanese art.

Traditional incense craftsmanship by Shoyeido in Kyoto

The history of Shoyeido dates back to 1705. The Kyoto-based company is one of Japan's long-established incense manufacturers and is known for its carefully balanced compositions of aromatic woods, resins, spices and other fragrance ingredients.

The Daily Incense collection includes a variety of classic incense blends for regular use. Within this range, Hakuun has a distinctive character thanks to its combination of sandalwood, benzoin resin, cloves and borneol camphor. The warm and fresh aromatic facets complement one another to create a balanced traditional composition.

Original Japanese box containing 490 incense sticks

This Japanese version of Hakuun contains 490 short incense sticks without a bamboo core. They measure approximately 13.5 cm in length and have an average burning time of around 30 minutes per stick.

The Japanese incense sticks have a medium grey colour with a slightly warm undertone. This visually distinguishes them from the brown sticks of the international Haku-Un – White Cloud version. However, this difference in colour does not establish any particular variation in the formula.

The large box is a practical supply pack for enthusiasts of this classic incense blend. The shorter format is suitable for an incense-burning session of approximately half an hour, while the longer versions offer a correspondingly longer burning time.

The complete original Japanese box containing 490 incense sticks is supplied. This is not an individual roll containing 35 long sticks.

Different versions of Hakuun

In addition to this large box, Shoyeido Hakuun – White Cloud is also available as an individual Japanese roll containing 35 long incense sticks. These sticks measure approximately 22 cm in length and have a burning time of around 50 minutes.

The international version is sold under the hyphenated name Haku-Un – White Cloud. It also contains 35 long incense sticks, distinguished from the grey Japanese sticks by their brown colour.

The documented ingredient list includes benzoin resin, sandalwood, cloves, borneol camphor and other spices. As the complete formulas and blending proportions of the different versions are not disclosed, any possible differences in composition cannot be reliably determined.

Features of Shoyeido Hakuun

• Manufacturer: Shoyeido
• Collection: Daily Incense / Nature & Tradition
• Product: Hakuun (白雲) – White Cloud, Japanese version
• International spelling: Haku-Un
• Origin: Kyoto, Japan
• Documented ingredients: sandalwood, benzoin resin, cloves, borneol camphor and other spices
• Fragrance character: warm, woody, balsamic, spicy and aromatically fresh
• Colour of incense sticks: grey with a slightly warm undertone
• Type: Japanese incense sticks without a bamboo core
• Contents: 490 incense sticks
• Length: approx. 13.5 cm
• Burning time: approx. 30 min per stick
• Packaging: large original Japanese box