It has been widely known in Japan that Kohboku such as Jinko and Kyara were woods of elegant fragrance and considered very rare and highly valuable since ancient times. According to Nihonshoki, the ancient Chronicles of Japan, Khoboku driftwood washed ashore on the beach of Awaji Island and was subsequently presented to the Empress Suiko in 595 AD. Then Prince Regent, Shotokutaishi, understood that it was Jinko. Jinko, a product of spontaneous natural processes and the passage of time, could be found only in particular areas of South-East Asia. After a long journey over both land and sea, it arrived on Japanese soil for the first time.

Among the various kinds of Jinko, the most valuable kind is named as "Kyara". The exceptional aroma releases a faint sweet fragrance into the air, giving off a subtle, yet profound feeling. It is said to produce a feeling of exhilaration, at the same time inducing a peaceful sensation. Even with today's modern technology, it is impossible to reproduce an aroma with characteristics identical to Kyara.

Throughout the history of Japan, Kohboku has appeared in many legends and tales. People can almost imagine the graceful fragrance of Kohboku, though they have never seen, nor smelled it. It is, perhaps, possible because they have come across Kohboku through previous mention of it in ancient legends or stories. In Kabuki plays, popular entertainment among ordinary people in Edo era, Koh or Kohboku frequently appears in various situations. The most famous Kohboku in Kabuki is the one that appears at the beginning of the most renowned Kabuki play, "Chushingura". The Kohboku, "Ranjatai" had been cited in many legends and anecdotes, and is now kept in special storage as one of the treasures of Shosoin-gyobutu.