香 道(こうどう)

こうどう

noun

way of incense; incense appreciation art

1. way of incense; art of incense appreciation

The traditional Japanese art of appreciating fragrant wood and incense, with its own etiquette and games. Together with 茶道(さどう) (tea ceremony) and 華道(かどう) (flower arranging), it is one of the three classical refined arts.

香道(こうどう)を習(なら)う。

To study the way of incense.

香道(こうどう)では香(こう)りを「聞(き)く」と言(い)う。

In the way of incense, smelling a fragrance is called 'listening' to it.

香道(こうどう)は茶道(さどう)や華道(かどう)と並(なら)ぶ日本(にほん)の伝統芸道(でんとうげいどう)の一(ひと)つだ。

The way of incense is one of Japan's traditional refined arts, alongside tea ceremony and flower arranging.

A refined art centered on appreciating the fragrance of 香木(こうぼく) (fragrant wood). Practitioners 'listen' (聞(き)く) to scents rather than 'smell' them, and play identification games such as 組香(くみこう).

Common collocations

香道(こうどう)を習(なら)う: to learn the way of incense
香(こう)を聞(き)く: to 'listen' to (appreciate) incense

Similar words

茶道(さどう): tea ceremony — the way of tea, a sister refined art
華道(かどう): flower arranging — the way of flowers, the third of the three arts

Related Words

Compare: 茶道(さどう) (tea ceremony)

Compare: 華道(かどう) (flower arranging)

Compare: 聞香(もんこう) (appreciating incense)

general

Added 2026.6.28 3:18 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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