The Japanese custom of memorializing the deceased is a very simple act of lighting a straight incense stick; this tradition has not changed for 400 years.

Even though we live in a time that values and honors diversity in individuality, in this tradition, there is nothing reminiscent of the “individuality” of those who were so vibrant and vivid during their life.

This is why Kameyama, Japan’s oldest and most widely loved incense brand founded in 1927, had a big challenge on their hands: updating this age-old tradition of memorializing the deceased by transforming incense sticks to be relevant with the current times. In response to this challenge, we proposed a new art direction of transforming straight incense sticks into the outline of the human form, and thus “INCENSE OF MEMORIES”, the world’s first incense that gives shape to the departed was born. Incense sticks, which had maintained its straight shape for over 400 years, took on a new and revolutionary design that, more than ever, celebrates the personalities and lives of those who have passed.

The designs of the incense sticks, which were developed into products based on the most popular responses in a poll conducted on social media, include different variations such as reading, hiking, surfing, and golfing. Overcoming various constraints such as sturdiness, strength, and burn time, our aim was to create iconic designs that everyone could immediately recognize. In addition to the shape, the design of the fragrance, such as the aroma of coffee for those who enjoyed reading or the scent of a forest for those who enjoyed hiking, was also carefully considered to evoke the memories of the departed.