Nara sits an hour from Osaka, older than Kyoto, quieter than both. Its temples predate the capital's move to Kyoto by centuries, and the city carries that weight lightly — deer moving through shrine precincts, moss on stone, the smell of cedar and incense in the still air. The Nara Hotel, opened in 1909 and still receiving guests, looks out over this landscape as it always has.
In a room, this is a warm, serene presence — sandalwood-led, soft at the edges, the kind of scent that settles rather than announces. The throw is gentle and unhurried; it suits a bedroom, a reading room, or anywhere that benefits from stillness. An evening scent, or a slow afternoon.
Sandalwood amyris forms the heart — creamy, warm, and faintly sweet without the heaviness of some woods. Sambac jasmine brings a soft floral note, intimate rather than loud. Ginger root introduces a low, dry warmth at the base. Cashmeran and amber close the composition with a smooth, skin-like depth that holds long after the candle is out.
Scent family — Woody
Scent profile — Sandalwood amyris, sambac jasmine, ginger root, cashmeran, amber
Perfume designed with Christophe Raynaud.
Hand-blown glass vessel, 260g. Dimensions 90 x 90 x 100mm.
Burn time 60–70 hours.
ABOUT the MAKER
Astier de Villatte
