Kobé sits where Japan meets the sea — and, for a period, where it met the West. In the old Kitano district, European houses built by merchants and diplomats still stand among narrow lanes, a quiet curiosity against the backdrop of the Rokko Mountains. This fragrance is drawn from that particular atmosphere: the warmth of an evening in a city that has always held something of elsewhere within it.
In a room, it is gently spiced and softly aromatic — present without being assertive. The throw is intimate and close, best appreciated in a smaller room or at a desk. A scent for a quiet evening rather than a gathered space.
Crystallised ginger opens with a warm, candied spice — sweet but with an underlying heat. Coriander and cardamom introduce a cooler, slightly citric edge that keeps the composition from heaviness. Petitgrain adds a crisp green freshness at the heart. Fig emerges in the base — soft and slightly milky, with the particular unctuousness of ripe fruit. Vetiver anchors the dry-down with a thread of earthy quiet.
Scent family — Aromatic, Spicy
Scent profile — Crystallised ginger, coriander, cardamom, petitgrain, fig, vetiver
Perfume designed with Françoise Caron.
Hand-blown glass vessel, 260g. Dimensions 90 x 90 x 100mm.
Burn time 60–70 hours.
ABOUT the MAKER
Astier de Villatte
