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Most popular colognes in Japan

post #1 of 23
9/14/05 at 2:05pm
Thread Starter 
I find it very interesting to see different people love different things. The followings are the list of most popular colognes among men in Japan (I'm Japanese, by the way), in the order of popularity (according to the votes from www.cosme.net ;the list was in Japanese and I had to traslate it into English). Some are very popular here in U.S. and some are not even known in US (yet?) but maybe popular in Europe??? I found it very amusing and thought I'd like to share it with you.

VV

1. Bvlgari Pour Homme (Bvlgari)
2. Bvlgari Un Jardin Sur Le Nil (Hermes)
3. Black (Bvlgari)
4. Egosite Platinum (Chanel)
5. Bvlgari Blu Pour Homme (Bvlgari)
6. Pasha! (Palm Tree)
7. Yellow Mat (Masaki Matsushima)
8. Santa Maria Novella (Santa Maria Novella)
9. cK be (Carvin Klein)
10. Samurai Light (Alan Delon)
11. Allure Homme Sport (Chanel)
12. Lean Par Kenzo Pour Homme (Kenzo)
13. Happy For Men (Clinique)
14. cK One Summer (Calvin Klein)
15. Fahrenheit (Christian Dior)
16. Cool Water (Davidoff)
17. Bvlgari pour Homme Extreme (Bvlgari)
18. Weekend For Men (Burberry)
19. Eternity For Men (Calvin Klein)
20. Une Jardine en Mediterranee (Hermes)
21. Rush For Men (Gucci)
22. Soprani Uomo (Soprani)
23. Egoiste (Chanel)
24. Higher (Christian Dior)
25. Aqua de Bvlgari Pour Homme (Bvlgari)
26. Acqua di Gio Pour Homme (Georgio Armani)
27. Leau DIssey Pour Homme (Issey Miyake)
28. Pi (Givenchy)
29. Samurai (Alan Delon)
30. Red Planet (Erad France)
31. Le Male (Jean Paul Gaultier)
32. Gucci Pour Homme (Gucci)
33. Pick Me Up Laundromat (Demeter)
34. Mure et Musc Extreme (L'Artisan)
35. Eau dHadrien (Annick Goutal)
36. Blue Jeans (Versace)
37. La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme (LArtisan)
38. Sculpture Homme (Nikos)
39. Linstant de Guerlain Pour Homme (Guerlain)
40. Just Free (Luciano Soprani)
41. Risingwave (Christian Riese Lassen)
42. Sexy Boy Another Dream (Jeanne Arthes)
43. Pick me Up Condensed Milk (Demeter)
44. Sa Majeste La Rose (Serge Lutens)
45. Eau de Imperial (Guerlain)
46. Burberry Light For Men (Burberry)
47. Hugo (Hugo Boss)
48. Allure Homme (Chanel)
49. Hermessence Poive Samarcande (Hermes)
50. Boine Farine (LArtisan)
51. Escape For Men (Calvin Klein)
52. Tactics (Shiseido)
53. cK one (Calvin Klein)
54. Fluer de Citrronier (Serge Lutens)
55. Café Café Ice (Café Café)
56. Miel de Bois (Serge Lutens)
57. Jaguar (Jaguar)
58. Givenchy Pour Homme (Givenchy)
59. Incense Ultramarine Sport (Givenchy)
60. Time to Relax (Versace)
61. Miracle Homme (Lancome)
62. Comme de Garcons (Comme de Garcons)
63. Lion Hear Royal Blue (Angel Heart)
64. Banana Republic Classic (Banana Republic)
65. Aqua di Gio (Georgio Armani)
66. Xeryus Rouge (Givenchy)
67. Pick me Up Pink Lemonade (Demeter)
68. Drakkar Noir (Guy Laroche)
69. Dune Pour Homme(Christian Dior)
70. Declaration (Cartier)
71. Aramis (Aramis)
72. Leau DIssey Pour Homme Lueur DIssey (Issey Miyake)
73. Yellow Mat (Masaki Matsushima)
74. Mat; La Rouge (Masaki Matsushima)
75. Chypre (Patyka)
76. Chrome (Azzaro)
77. Pi Fraiche (Givenchy)
78. Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin (Lolita Lempicka)
79. Emporio Armani White He (Goergio Armani)
80. Paul Smith London For Men (Paul Smith)
81. Bois Oriental (Serge Lutens)
82. Time for Pleaaure (Versace)
83. Blenheim Bouquet (Penhaligon)
84. Parfums Series 5 Sherbet (Comme de Garcons)
85. Odeur 53 (Comme de Garcons)
86. Solo Soprani (Luciano Soprani)
87. Pick me Up Bamboo (Demeter)
88. Lion Hear Bells Beach (Angel Heart)
89. Police Interactive For Him (Police)
90. Beyond Paradise For Men (Estee Lauder)
91. Armani Mania (Goergio Armani)
92. Nudy Dual Cologne (Kanebo)
93. Eau de The Vert (Roger&Gallet)
94. Garrigue (Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier)
95. Rose en Noir (Miller Harris)
96. Chic For Men (Carolina Herrera)
97. Incense Ultramarine Ice Cube (Givenchy)
98. Calvin (Calvin Klein)
99. Guy Mattiolo Uomo (Guy Mattiolo)
100. Blue Hawaii (Demeter)
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post #2 of 23
9/14/05 at 2:11pm
So why did Fragonard bothered making a special japanses website then ?????


laugh laurent
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post #3 of 23
9/14/05 at 2:13pm
But.......Where are the awesome *GOCE by Kanebo* [smiley=huh.gif] [smiley=huh.gif] [smiley=undecided.gif]
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post #4 of 23
9/14/05 at 2:22pm
Wow, thanks Vibrant,

I was very surprised that there are some rather heavy stuff listed in there, since they tend towards things that have a lighter air. Gee, no Hanae Mori? Whoah! Drakkar Noir...bad memories! bad memories!
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post #5 of 23
9/14/05 at 2:23pm
Not even Yosh or Yohji Yamamoto made it into the list?
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post #6 of 23
9/14/05 at 2:34pm
Thread Starter 
Dear Dry Martini;

I personally like GOCE (Kanebo), though. It's a very oriental scent with aloewoods, which we call "cara" in Japanese and is one of the most important ingredients for buddhistic incenses. I think aloewoods are the buddhistic equivalent of frankinsence in Christianity. Very religous scent which makes me feel like meditating!

VV
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post #7 of 23
9/14/05 at 2:34pm
Santa Maria Novella 8th... a Demeter fragrance on #33... _wow_
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post #8 of 23
9/14/05 at 2:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vibrant_Violet

Dear Dry Martini;

I personally like GOCE (Kanebo), though. It's a very oriental scent with aloewoods, which we call "cara" in Japanese and is one of the most important ingredients for buddhistic incenses. I think aloewoods are the buddhistic equivalent of frankinsence in Christianity. Very religous scent which makes me feel like meditating!

VV


Interesting information,for me Goce by Kanebo is a wonderful fragance,i,m only surprise that this fragance not popular in his country of origin. Is very very hard to find in Europe,only in Russia.
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post #9 of 23
9/14/05 at 2:44pm
Vivrant Violet, Would you take off the Bulgari infront of Un Jardin sur le Nil (Hermes) because it looks like an error.
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post #10 of 23
9/14/05 at 2:57pm
Thread Starter 
Oooops!

VV
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post #11 of 23
9/14/05 at 3:34pm
Thanks Vibrant_Violet. A very interesting read.
My new favorite fragrance name is LION HEAR BELLS BEACH (#88). [smiley=smiley.gif]
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post #12 of 23
9/14/05 at 3:42pm
Interesting list. I must admit though, I was surprised to see only two entries from Guerlain: one is the latest (L'Instant), and the other the oldest still in production (Eau de Imperial)!

Thanks for the info
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post #13 of 23
9/14/05 at 4:52pm
Why are Bulgari so popular in Japan? Three of the top five places that's some acheivement. Compared to the European and American top ten lists though (full of Boss and Cool Water!) it must be said the Japanese have impeccable taste.
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post #14 of 23
9/14/05 at 6:24pm
Thread Starter 
Ricardo;

I think it has something to do with the physiology of Japanese (or Asian) men and the population density of Japan. It's such a crowded country with everything centered in Tokyo, Osaka, and etc. it's a very common life style to live in the suburbs and commute to big cities by train. The crowdedness of the trains is famous enough to be on the Discovery Channel! And generally, these big cities are pretty crowded and you cannot even walk without bumping into one another. Because of this proxitimity to one another, people are generally very very sensitive to "smells" of others. And in addition, we (Asians) have less body odors than the others. So, what happens is if we put on whatever cologne, we just smell what the cologne smells like. The scent never changes on our body. We just end up "smelling like Chanel" or "smelling like Dior". The more great scent we wear, the more cosmetic we tend to smell. Last thing people want is a very cosmetic scent from someone whose body has been pushed against yours in a 120% crowded train. OK, now because of this, people like more plain, unisex and clean smell like soaps, as opposed to rose-jasmin-woody-leather... The ranking list actually interestingly reflects this tradion, trend or whatever one might call. Bvlgari Pour Homme is very very popular because it's very soapy. I don't think the Theirry Mugler cologne or Gendarme are not popular in Japan yet, but it has a big potential in my opinion, for this very reason.

VV
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post #15 of 23
9/14/05 at 7:27pm
So that accounts for a very new Hermes sitting in the second place. Â*I know you did not write this list but I was kind of expecting Eau d'orange verte in that place and am also wondering why Aqua di Gio would be way way down there when everybody and his brother all over the world is supposed to be wearing it?
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post #16 of 23
9/14/05 at 8:06pm
Thread Starter 
Hi Osme;

Well, I have to admit there are some surprises even to me. I don't know why Un Jardin Sur Le Nil got #2 while Eau d'Orange is nowhere to be found (I'm personally a great fan of Concentree d'Orange Verte). And where is the Cologne Bigarde from Malle? Well, I have to say that this is just a ranking made out of internet users' voting (the ranking changes periodically!) and I don't think it's statistically significant (p value way up high) anyway. But again, my point is that I was amused to see some colognes which I've never heard from here in U.S.!

VV
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post #17 of 23
9/14/05 at 8:19pm
Vibrant_Violet,

I enjoyed reading your analysis as to the reasons why Japanese like cleaner, soapier smelling fragrances; it makes perfect sense. I suppose a Westerner will be VERY noticable traveling in a train with a big obnoxious grin on his face, and wearing a double spirtz of Angel Men. I can just see him getting thrown out of the train window by a mob of angry businessmen in suit. LOL

~godzilla
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post #18 of 23
9/14/05 at 8:44pm
Takaaki!

Thanks so much for sharing this, I have been looking for EXACTLY this kind of thing for a while!

I think the names on the list have to do with a)corporate branding (Hermes and Bulgari are VERY in right now, fragrance, jewelery, etc...); b) marketing; c) availability - many of these scents are available at greatly discounted prices in cosmetics shops and online; and d) the people who voted for the list (look at some of Basenotes' members polls and lists by comparison).

Goce has been discontinued, and Kanebo is not a hip, trendy name...

Mat scents are very popular and are EVERYWHERE here, again, usually discounted, and as the scents tend to have less illage, this might be a reason as to their popularity...

With the exception of 2 or 3, the top 20 are nearly all aquatic/ctirus/fruity scents...definitely a reflection of the hot and humid spring and summer we've had both in Western and Eastern Japan.

Even more interesting is that in most of the department stores (upscale), Angel (or Mugler scents in general) are not even sold!

It will be interesting to view the list again come winter!

marlen
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post #19 of 23
9/15/05 at 2:29am
-- post deleted FOR A SECOND TIME BY ADMIN

This types of posts are NOT permitted
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post #20 of 23
9/15/05 at 3:30am
Thread Starter 
Maybe the word "Asian" I used was general enough to be confusing. Some Asians such as those from South Asia and South East Asia have distinctive body odors (no offense, either) because of their well-developed apocrine sweat glands (producing sweat with distinctive pheromone odor), while those in East Asia (some Chinese, Koreans and Japanse) tend to have less developed apocrine sweat glands. The more dominant eccrine sweat glands produce very watery sweat, which is pretty much concentrated body fluid (i.e. salt water). The colognes scent is sometimes great when it mixes with body odors (which is created by the apocrine glands secrete). Since eccrine glands secrete does not produce nothing but NaCl and H2O, we tend to smell what the colognes smell like. Again, this is just a general fact based on the difference in physiology. And it still depends.

VV
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post #21 of 23
9/15/05 at 4:27am
A few days ago the SA at Comme des Garçons told me that perfumes in Japan and China are always a little lighter because the people over there have a far better sense of smell than the people in Europe or the USA. He told me that a Japanese Chanel no. 5 smells a lot more feeble than a European Chanel no. 5. I find this very hard to believe so can someone acknowledge this?
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post #22 of 23
9/15/05 at 4:52am
VV Thanks again for this informative post and responses. I once again bow to the thoughtful and considerate Japanese commuter who considers the effects his cologne would have in a very crowded train. Trully amazing and worthy of emulation. Btw, did you take your name from the author of Shining Genji?

And while still in the matter of thoughtfulness and consideration, sweeping generalization about the stink of the population of an entire continent can
never be taken as inoffensive no matter how benevolently meant.
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post #23 of 23
9/18/05 at 12:40pm
What an interesting list. Japan is generally not a place one associates with variety of smells because it is all so understated and subtle there, but there are some interesting finds!

First of all, there is such abundance of Bvlagari at Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai and Sapporo Chitose airports one may thing the house of fashion has a major stake in Japanese aviation.

And one of the duty free shops at Narita Terminal 2 has Luciano Soprani Uomo, tucked away in their "World Scents" shelf, one of the most subtle and interesting citrusy-peppery fragrances that I know. I could travel to Japan just for that... And for a drink at Tokyo Park Hyatt's New York bar (I need a fix of that place twice a year).
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