In Fukuoka and Hakata, the season has come when the morning and evening air turns crisp. In 2026, Rittō falls on Saturday, November 7 — on the traditional calendar, the first day of winter. At TSUTSUMU, an incense-making workshop about a 10-minute walk from Hakata Station, why not make a "warm" incense to burn as winter begins? The stars are soft, sweet benzoin and just a pinch of cinnamon.
Rittō: the day winter begins to show
Rittō is one of the 24 solar terms that divide the traditional year. It sits right between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice, and it's said to be the day the first signs of winter appear.
In Fukuoka, early November is still when the autumn leaves are just starting to turn, and the real cold is yet to come. Even so, the sun sets noticeably earlier, and the air on the way home has clearly cooled. The calendar gives names to small changes like these. Why not let Rittō be your cue to switch your room's scent over to winter?
Cool scents for summer, warmth for winter
Our scent preferences shift with the seasons in curious ways. In summer we crave green, refreshing scents like lemongrass; in winter we reach for something sweeter and rounder.
Among TSUTSUMU's fragrances, the two that bring a sense of warmth are the mix-ins cinnamon and benzoin. We don't claim they warm the body — but as an impression, they're the two that feel most at home in a winter room.
Benzoin: a sweetness that softly wraps everything
Benzoin is a resin harvested from trees of the storax family that grow in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. Its sweet, soft scent recalls vanilla; it rounds off the edges of other ingredients and brings the whole blend together.
For a winter blend, we recommend adding a little extra benzoin. Its sweetness layers over the calm scent of sandalwood to create a round fragrance, like being wrapped in a blanket. You can read more about benzoin's history in the benzoin installment of our "The World of Fragrance" series.
Cinnamon: a single pinch changes the "temperature"
Cinnamon is the dried bark of an evergreen tree in the laurel family — those familiar brown quills on the spice rack.
As an incense ingredient, it's less a lead than a brilliant supporting player. Just a pinch tightens the whole scent and gives the impression that the temperature has risen a little. But it's assertive: add too much and everything turns into cinnamon. If you're unsure, it's safest to keep it small — and feel free to ask our staff about amounts on the day. Our cinnamon installment is worth a read, too.
A sandalwood base for warmth
TSUTSUMU incense starts with choosing one of two bases (sandalwood or frankincense), then freely combining mix-ins.
If you're aiming for a "warm" winter scent, we recommend a sandalwood base. Its subtly sweet, calm woody scent holds benzoin and cinnamon firmly in place. Frankincense, on the other hand, has a clear, clean scent. If you love the crisp air of a cold winter morning, choosing frankincense on purpose is a lovely option too.
Blend ideas for winter
- "A blanket kind of winter": sandalwood + plenty of benzoin + a pinch of cinnamon
- "Autumn into winter": sandalwood + benzoin + a little osmanthus (a last trace of the passing autumn)
- "A clear winter morning": frankincense + benzoin + a little lemongrass
There's no right answer. Tell us the image you have in mind — "something to burn on winter nights," "not too sweet" — and our staff will think it through with you.
Lighting incense on winter nights
In the cold season we spend more time with the windows shut. When you burn incense, airing the room now and then keeps the scent from becoming too heavy and makes it more pleasant.
Since it involves fire, use a non-flammable dish or incense holder and keep it away from curtains, paper and other flammable things. Stay nearby while it burns. If you place it where the heater's airflow doesn't hit it directly, the smoke will rise slowly and straight.
Dim the lights a little, make a warm drink, and light a stick. Perhaps the most luxurious way to spend a winter night is surprisingly simple.
TSUTSUMU around Rittō
Rittō, November 7, is a Saturday — and TSUTSUMU is open. We're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so please visit Wednesday through Sunday. You can check whether we're open on public holidays in the calendar on our booking page.
The experience takes about 60 minutes. You can take your finished incense home in a wooden box the same day (please let it dry for a day before use). For an extra ¥500, you can have a name or date engraved on the box — a nice way to keep "the start of winter 2026."
Reservations & Access
- Address: 本島ビル 401, 3-5-20 Hakata Ekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka (about a 10-minute walk from the Hakata Exit of JR Hakata Station)Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Hours: 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00) / Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
- Price: ¥3,500 per person (engraving option +¥500)
- Duration: about 60 minutes / Languages: Japanese, English, Korean
- Booking: online 24 hours a day, or by phone at 070-6697-5255
- Instagram / TikTok: @tsutsumu_incense
Winter is the season when we spend more time indoors — and that's exactly why it's the season when scent feels closest. In Hakata at Rittō, why not make, with your own hands, a stick to burn as winter begins?
