Asian Inspired ?

Off the top of my head:

The new collection By Killian has two scents: Bamboo Harmony and Water Calligraphy.

Others are:

Shiseido Murasaki (obviously)

Hermes Rose Ikebana and Iris Ukiyoe

New Keiko Mecheri Johana, also her Ume and Hanae

Different Company Tokyo Bloom

Guerlain Voyages Tokyo

Aroma M Geisha (many scents)

Guerlain Mitsouko

Romeo D'Ameor Les Imperiatrices Japonaises (Japanese Empresses)

CDG Monocle Hinoki

Grossmith Hasu No Hana

Caron Yuzu Man

Odin 02 Owari

Check my longer list.

Don't forget that famous one: Hai Karate. It's a scent do powerful men had to fight off women.

Montale's Mango Manga.

For Chinese, Osmanthe Yunnan by Hermes and Guerlain Liu.

For Filipino, Ormonde Jayne Sampaquita.

Another Japanese one: Alain Delon Samourai 47.

+1 Hinoki
+1 Kyoto

Bamboo Trefle by Galimard

Japanese celebuscent Kara: http://www.basenotes.net/content/115...A-launch-scent

Yang, Tea for Two, and Gucci Pour Homme II.

Wow, great list!

I'll add:

Citta di Kyoto - Santa Maria Novella (Inspired by Kyoto)
Feminite des Bois - Shiseido/Serge Lutens (this isn't officially inspired by Japan, but it's a Japanese company and it smells SO MUCH like "ume boshi" which are sweet and sour Japanese pickled plums!)
Gaiac 10 (Tokyo Exclusive) - Le Labo (Funny, this reminds me of how my Japanese girlfriend smelled when she woke up in the morning)
Omnia Crystalline - Bulgari (a fragrance specifically designed for the asian market and tastes)
Fils de dieu (AKA Phillipine House Boy) - Etat Libre d'Orange
Tactics - Shiseido (This is what the older "salary men" in Tokyo sometimes smelled like while I lived there. Well, that and lavender hair tonic)

That's all I can think of for now...

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Here's one more:

Kisu by Tann Rokka

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On the other hand, Japon Noir by Tom Ford is supposed to be inspired by Japan, but I can't tell what it's inspired by or what it's supposed to smell like that is Japanese. It doesn't smell asian to me at all.

CdG-Kyoto is definitely Asian scent, it reminds me the peaceful happiness memories in the temples.

How about YSL's Opium, both the 'pour homme' and the original 'feminine' are masterpieces. Put some amber in your hookah to enjoy Ambre Narguile. Also, sandalwood scents like Tam Dao, which seems almost like sandalwood eo to me. Oud is another Asian material--too many of those to mention.

Funny, I don't get umeboshi from Feminite de Bois. I get a lot of woody cedar. It is a Shiseido, however.

As for Shiseido, how about Zen in the original black and gold flacon? I can still be found as a cologne at some counters. A powdery classic, often now overlooked.


You can wear them at turns. Just enjoy and try. BTW, Shiseido has a very long pedigree as a toiletry company going back to the 1870s. Nice to know some real pedigrees are out there like Caron and Guerlain.

And THIS is THE best Japanese men's fragrance of ALL time:

Noir Epices (Frederic Malle) takes me straight to Java.

Obviously there's the clovey Kretek thing but beyond that it conjures up the sense of stepping away from the road and then, just a few paces under the forest canopy, there's that heady mix of decay and new life - leaves and tropical flora.

Epic Woman (Amouage) is very evocative of northwestern Chinese medicinal herbs. The inspiration came from the Silk Road and makes sense - northern cuisine draws on some great herbs that you don't get in the southeast, and the frankincense kicks in a sort of northern fortitude to the thing. Don't be put off by the 'Woman' in the name - this is no more 'girly' than the women you'll meet in Beijing and all points north. Tribute is in the same ballpark. Epic Man is the boring male version - strong, silent but with nothing of any interest whatsoever to add to the conversation.

Kyoto does what it says altho Sandalo Inspiritu (DSH) is a much truer representation of Kyoto incense, and Dzongkha (L'Artisan) is not bad - never been to Bhutan but it does evoke the mood of a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Kathmandu Valley I visited, cool stone, old wood and pretty chilly when the sun goes down.

For some reason Attrape Coeur (Guerlain) sits me right beside the pool surrounded by lush tropical trees and flowers in Bali late at night. Don't know why but it's a magnificent piece of work if you can track it down.

+1 Osmanthe Yunnan (reminds me of Ningbo in Spring) and I'll add Le Treizieme Heure (Cartier) for it's superb smoky Lapsang Soochong note.

I don't rate the By Kilian pair - a missed opportunity IMO - even the local office girls here were turning their noses up at them. They're nice enough in an inoffensive pretty kind of way but for that price?

Thanks! Very interesting.
I suppose the tropical flowers....jasmine, etc will also have an Asian feeling to them.

Mandom is long gone, I think, but its advertisement continues to delight and amuse.