What kind of fragrance would Akashinokimi, Akashinohime’s mother, blend, then ? It is “Kunoeko”, the fragrance to scent clothings. As a mother , Akashinoue must have wanted to imbue her daughter’s trousseau with her hand-made Koh. This former Suzakuin who had learned that the blending of Hyakubunohou makes very rare and lustrous fragrance.

In this way, each Koh blending reflects each woman’s mental image, describing each woman's unique story within itself.

Akashinohime later became the Empress, and gave birth to Niounomiya, the protagonist of Ujijujo, the latter chapters of The Tale of Genji. As his name expresses itself, (“niou” means to be fragrant) Niounomiya is very keen on and seriously thinks about his fragrance as a tool to express himself.

In Chapter 52 when he visits his mother, the Empress Akashi,
brief but distinguished description indicates much. “wears unlined summer cloth, finely woven and dyed clove in color.” He wears Nohshi, noblesmen’s every day dress. Silk threads are elegantly dyed with clove, woven,
and made into the cloth. As it is a hot summer day, he soon sweats. Warmed and moist, his clothes give off an elegant fragrance. The ingredients used to dye are originally materials for fragrance and the fragrance is often conjured as it is already made into cloth (Kimono). This is called Kohzome, Koh-dyeing.

One thousand years ago, people already enjoyed such sophisticated Koh culture.

“Kurohou” and “ Kayo” have been used and taken over, and is today known as product names for traditional Nerikoh or the highest quality incense produced by Nippon Kodo. Nippon Kodo recreates the history and technique of Kohju who worked in the Imperial Court in the reign of Tensho (1573 ~ 1592). We continue to keep a creative stance based on the traditional Koh culture, which is now spreading throughout the world.