All About

A Student Documentary About Taiwan Incense House

Over the years, many students have visited Taiwan Incense House to learn about traditional incense culture and our journey from a traditional shop to an online business.

Recently, a group of students from Ming Chi University of Technology created a short documentary about our story. We are honored to share their work with you.

For our overseas friends, English subtitles are available. Simply click the "CC" button on YouTube and select English subtitles while watching.

We hope this video helps you get to know Taiwan Incense House a little better.

Thank you for watching.

— Selina

Incense Powder Ceremony

We offer an incense powder (篆香, zhuàn xiāng) experience by reservation.
If you're planning to visit Taiwan, feel free to contact us in advance to arrange a session.

Taiwan has a long history of incense use, from religious practices to everyday appreciation, forming a rich cultural tradition.
Incense powder is shaped into various patterns using traditional tools, depending on different purposes.

In this quiet and focused process, you will complete the piece by hand while experiencing the subtle variations of natural wood aromas from different origins.

A simple moment to slow down and enjoy the scent.

We offer natural incense powder products made from ground agarwood and sandalwood. Which type of natural incense powder do you prefer? How do you use them? 
 



In the early days, due to religious customs, users in Taiwan would scoop incense powder with a spoon and place it into incense burners. Large amounts of powder were continually added and burned, producing thick smoke, which gave a strong sense of a thriving temple atmosphere. 
 

  

With the rise of environmental awareness, religious practices and home incense usage have become more environmentally friendly. Users gradually came to realize that incense can be used in smaller amounts, while still enjoying its quality and essence. 
 

We have hosted several incense ceremony experience classes in the past. We still remember the very first one, which was for children. The little ones listened attentively, though only grasping bits and pieces about agarwood and sandalwood, before eagerly working with their hands to make incense trails. It was both fun and engaging. In the begining, our store was smaller, so we couldn’t host classes frequently. Most of the time, we demonstrated one-on-one to visitors.


        

After moving to our new location, the space grew a bit larger, but the area for holding classes is still limited. The most recent class was a visit from sociology students from Fu Jen Catholic University. For young people, their willingness to learn about incense culture, sitting down to listen to traditional customs and cultural insights, left a lasting impression on us. 

Our Brand - I H Incense House & Incense Fortune

JOSS STICKS


Shaping Powder by Incense Accessories / Kit / Tool








How to Use the Incense Tool to Shape Powder

It's easy to use the incense tool to shape the incense powder.
This method helps extend the burning time, produces less smoke, and saves on powder usage!



Furnace Brass Incense Burner with Mold Shaping Tool







INCENSE STICKS





INCENSE COILS





We are continuously creating more videos about incense and raw materials.
We invite you to subscribe to our YouTube channel and turn on the notification bell to stay updated!

Incense ceremony practices vary across regions and schools or traditions in Japanese Kōdō (incense ceremony), each with its own rituals. Exploring different perspectives can enhance your understanding.

We provide the necessary tools for incense ceremonies but do not enforce specific techniques. Our simplified guide is for reference, and we encourage you to learn from various sources and exchange knowledge with others.

The following videos are from various YouTube contributors. There’s a wealth of content available for those interested in further study.


 
志野流香道 志野流香道｜The Shino School of Incense "KŌDŌ"｜GENUINE JAPAN Channel
 






Sharing - Kodo video reference
心香道-鍾灼輝先生 Incense Arts - Dr. Bell Chung




Kōdō in Kyoto 

Reminder: The video on this page was made during our HANTAN period, before our current store was established. The footage may be slightly blurry. We appreciate your understanding.
 



Disappearing Craftsmanship
Hand Made Joss Incense Sticks


　　In the early days of Taiwan, the demand for incense used in Buddhist rituals was high. From the 1970s to the 1990s, incense masters worked tirelessly, producing incense in central Taiwan and shipping it across the island. My elders would receive the incense shipments at Wanhua Station—a bustling scene that is now a memory of the past. My father also ran a small family incense workshop in Banqiao, employing up to eight skilled artisans. However, with the rise of environmental awareness, a decline in demand, and the emergence of high-output incense machines, traditional handmade incense is getting lost. 








Joss Incense Sticks by Semiautomatic Machine


*To save labor, the incense-making process has evolved into a semi-automated production, combining traditional craftsmanship with machine assistance.





Making - Tribute Incense Sticks



　　Besides the Tribute incense used in temples, there is also household Tribute incense designed to meet users' needs for longer burning times. Household Tribute incense comes in sizes such as 39 cm, 48 cm, and 54 cm. We have these specifications in stock; however, due to size constraints, overseas shipping requires prior confirmation to ensure delivery is possible.

      





Making - 24HR Incense Coils



　　In the past, the tradition of offering incense to the gods required continuous smoke, making 24-hour incense coils convenient for users, as they didn't need to constantly monitor the burning process. Ensuring that the incense burns completely for 24 hours is a challenge, particularly in Taiwan's humid environment. During winter, varying humidity levels require careful attention to produce incense with consistent quality.

Nowadays, in response to environmental concerns, most incense is produced in a less smoke variety (with a smaller diameter and reduced burning surface, resulting in less smoke).

     





Making - Incense Coils



　　Incense sticks and incense coils are popular for both praying and personal use. People often light incense while reading, drinking tea, or relaxing. With a thickness of about 1-2.5mm, the smoke produced is quite light. Burning even a short piece of high-quality incense can fill a room with a subtle, pure fragrance. To choose the right grade, we recommend starting with our mixed package for reference.
 

   
      




Making - Incense Cones



　　
        Cone incense is made by mixing incense materials with a binder and forming them into a cone shape with a tip that is easy to light. This is an improvement on the traditional method of burning incense powder (scooping a small amount of powder, placing it in the incense burner, shaping a tip, and then lighting it). Our cone incense burns for approximately 10-15 minutes per piece and is primarily made from agarwood, sandalwood, or other traditional incense materials.

        Currently, there is also backflow incense available on the market, which has a hole at the bottom that allows the smoke to flow downward, creating a visual effect during burning. However, since backflow incense requires a larger proportion of raw materials and the market is highly competitive with lower-priced options, we have not yet added backflow incense cones to our product line.