Shoyeido's Friend of Pine Incense, 35 Sticks - Matsu-no-tomo

I'm a long-time fan of Shoyeido's daily incense. Other than a few Nepalese handmade monastery incenses, they are all I use. As with all of Shoyeido's incenses I've tried, these are finally blended, manufactured, and packaged, and they light well and burn consistently. They are good enough to keep me from looking for alternatives, other than trying their varieties, which is why I decided to add Friend of Pine to my usual daily incenses (Autumn Leaves, Moss Garden, Palo Santo, Frankincense, and Sandalwood).If you've ever tried monastery incenses like rhododendron, or those old balsam pine cones, you're likely familiar with 'good woodsy' and 'overpowering smoky' (I have one that leaves the room smelling almost like tobacco had been smoked). Friend of Pine is what I wish those others were. It's got the pleasant side of a campfire/fireplace smell, with a mildness reminiscent of my grandparents' old cabin Up At The Lake - The woodwork, the piney woods outside, a bit of earthy/mossy. There is a tang to it, but for me it's *just* enough without being tearjerking. I burn it in our living room with a fairly open, joined main floor (dining room and kitchen) and a ceiling fan going at slow to medium speed, which disperses it. So I can imagine it would be more potent in a smaller room and/or one will stiller air.Friend of Pine is 2-3 times as expensive as the others I like, so I offer it for a special or change-of-pace occasion, once or twice a week, and partly for that reason I think it's a very good value. The box and wrapping are premium quality, a light, wooden box with a hinged sliding panel that flips open to the bundle inside. The bit of tang in the aroma is nice for keeping you present if you're into meditation.

Everything Shoyeido makes I have not had a single problem with; The incense are easy to live with day to day. the aroma's they give off are Strong, but easy to be around (not overpowering like cheaper incense). the use of higher quality materials in production are very clear. (beware, the stem style is different from traditional incense; No little wooden stem on bottom, all incense, for all of Shoyeido's products.. Compensate for that before hand and you will love it.)I personally have over 15 different products from Shoyeido and I can say; whether you burn them individually; or try pairing certain ones; they just plain work.

I do not enjoy it, it gives me a headache. I do like this brand but to me and everyone in my home this smells less of pine and more like concentrated celery. It's too heavy for me.

Great incense

Incense is exquisite! is comes in a wooden box to store, and it smells a little better than their traditional pine. Recommend for 45min meditation.

I do not like the fragrance now that I have it but incense is funny that way. You don't know if you like it till you try it. But this does not reflect on the quality of the product.

Such a delightful aroma! Smells like a pine forest. Not overpowering.

This is unlike most other incense I've tried. It doesn't feel like something is burning; it feels like I am in a forest full of pine trees. I don't know what to say other than I like it.