Kodo
The Japanese Incense Ceremony
Part One -- Listening to Incense
Monkou
The place to start learning about Kodo is how to hold the Kodo Cup and "listen" properly. The following picture shows the proper method of holding the Kodo cup in the Shino school of Kodo.
Yoshiko Nakata --
Baieido Corporation
Photos coutesy of: Sakai
Small Business Promotion Association
Listening "Mon-kou"
Ash Patterns of the Shino ryu & Oie ryu traditions of Kodo
Pictured below is the "True Ash" yang pattern of the Oie ryu. The Kiki-suji [Listening line] is a small triangle without lines as indicated below. The opening of the hand is formed so that only the "Listening Line" is visible through the opening.
In the following illustration, the Shino ryu style of ash pattern is presented. Here the Kiki-suji is a simple line that is made broader when the pattern is formed.
