A new series by author Tsume Kiri-o, who discovered his passion for beauty in his 40s, is now underway!

Tsume-san will personally visit beauty-related spots across the country—including workshops and factory tours—to experience them firsthand and share his reports.

*This article is a re-edited version for the web of an article originally published in *AMPULE MAGAZINE Vol. 16*.

Just one drop can change the whole impression! A fragrance-blending experience that brings out your individuality

For the first installment of this special series, we visited kako〈家香〉 in Kuramae, Taito Ward, Tokyo.

kako〈家香〉 is a place where you can create your own “home fragrance”—a scent customized to your personal taste by combining blended essential oils. Your fragrance recipe is saved, so you can recreate the same scent as many times as you like. Ms. Tsume took on the challenge of making a room fragrance spray!

There are a total of 12 varieties of kako’s original blended essential oils. The selection is rich and varied, including rose, ylang-ylang, and hinoki-based blends.

4 Steps to Creating Your Own Fragrance

STEP 1: Select your four favorite scents from 12 options

Choose one scent from each of the four groups—top notes, top-middle notes, middle-base notes, and base notes.

STEP 2: Mix in the proportions you prefer

Blend 1 to 5 drops of oil. Ms. Tsume uses citrus oils like mandarin as a base and adds hints of eucalyptus, chamomile, and frankincense.

[Column] Resetting Your Sense of Smell Is Important, Too

While blending fragrances, Ms. Tsume steps outside the store to reset her sense of smell. This gives her a different impression of the scents inside the store. The exterior of kako〈家香〉is also stylish.

STEP 3：Adjusting the Fragrance While Testing It

Use a glass to check the scent, adjust the amount of oil, and find your favorite ratio. “Ms. Tsume is quite cautious,” remarked a staff member at kako〈家香〉.

STEP 4：Decide on a ratio and write it down on the sheet

After you fill out the order form with your preferred ratios, they’ll make a custom room fragrance spray right there on the spot. It’s ready in about 30 minutes!

【Column】Check It Out While You Wait

While waiting for her spray treatment, Ms. Tsume received an explanation about OSAJI’s sheet masks and serums. She seemed particularly interested in the sheet masks. There were testers available, so she could try them out.

Comment from Mr. Tsume：
“The simple design makes it something my wife and I can use together. It turned out to be a scent that’s somehow comforting.”

[Mr. Tsume’s Experience Essay] Perfume Creation: A New Beginning in Life

Now that I’m over forty, all I worry about is my own body odor. My days are spent quietly being mindful so as not to cause discomfort to those around me. And yet, here I am, creating a one-of-a-kind home fragrance. Will I be able to pull it off? That anxiety turned out to be unfounded.

Mandarin—not just sweet, but with hints of tartness and a touch of bitterness. It’s a perfect match for my taste in fruity cocktails. When I add eucalyptus, which my wife loves, the scent blends seamlessly into our daily life and soothes my mind. And then there’s frankincense. The moment I heard it was associated with the birth of Jesus Christ, I was drawn to it by an irresistible curiosity and chose it. Layering in chamomile, the scents coalesce into a single harmony, and the “me” whose contours had been blurred begins to emerge, little by little.

Eventually, what I created was a scent that was not only gentle but also somewhat exotic—and yet, unmistakably to my own taste. It’s strange. I was supposed to be enjoying the process of creating a fragrance, but before I knew it, I felt as if I were retracing my own life. Scattered memories connected, forming a single line. Perhaps scents are even more honest than memories.

The place I visited this time was…

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Photos by Shito Michi
Reporting and Text by Miki Sekine