Arab region, Africa

One of the oldest incense materials
Used in ancient Egypt for embalming mummies
Effective as a sedative and as an anodyne

incense (to be heated),preservatives　etc.

Arab region, Ethiopia, India etc.

One of the oldest incense materials
Still in use mainly at churches

incense (to be heated),incense sticks　etc.

India, Iran, Indonesia, etc.

Semi-fossil resin produced under the ground
Stored in Shosoin
Although it used to be an important incense material as one of the five-incense, it is no longer used frequently.

Kneaded incense etc.

Indonesia

Crystallized white scale resin
Smells cool and fresh
Widely used in granulated incense, incense sticks etc.
Effective as a repellent and as a preservative

insect repellent sachets, scented sachets, granulated incense, incense sticks etc.

Thailand, Indonesia etc.

Used for keeping fragrance of incense and for cosmetics
It smells sweet and is effective for respiratory problems
Generally used in a ground form

Kneaded incense, incense sticks, granulated incense etc.

Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam

Used widely in various incense products
Used as a herbal medicine to treat stomach problems

Incense, food flavor, medicine

Molucca Islands, Indonesia, East Africa

Called "丁字（Choji）" in Japanese as the bud looks like the character "丁" ("字" means "character".)
One of the popular spices used in cooking along with pepper
Effective as a preservative and for stomach problems

Food flavor, medicine, incense sachets, incense sticks, granulated incense etc.

India, South Asia

Used to be an important incense material as one of the five-incense in the Heian Period
Used as incense, dye and medicine
Famous as an ingredient of curry powder
Effective as a herbal medicine for stomach problems

Dye, medicine, food coloring etc.

China, India etc.

The root is suitable for incense. The stalk is used as a herbal medicine for calming pain or treating stomach problems.
Although its own smell is not a good one, when it is mixed with other incense it smells robust. Therefore it is used for mixed incense frequently.

Incense sachets, incense sticks, granulated incense etc.

South of China

Used in dried slices
Effective as a repellent and used for protecting clothes from insects

Incense sachets, granulated incense etc.

China

Smells cool and fresh
Used in a ground form for mixed incense

Incense sticks, molded incense, kneaded incense etc.

Indonesia

Used mostly as essential oil and also for mixed incense
Commonly known as Patchouli
Effective as a repellent, an antipyretic and an anodyne

Incense sachets etc.

China

Smells as strong as Nader Spikenar and is used as a spice in curry powder

Food flavor, incense powder etc.

South China, North of the Indochina peninsula

Eight-point star shaped and used as a spice in Chinese food
Effective as a preservative and a herbal medicine for stomach problems

Spice, incense sticks, incense sachets, granulated incense, molded incense etc.

Africa

Used in a ground form for mixed incense
Plays an important role as a fragrance preservative

Kneaded incense, incense sticks etc.

China, Nepal, Siberia

Although the smell of musk itself is hardly a good one, it changes to a great fragrance when considerably diluted. It is widely used for preserving fragrance.
As natural musk is extremely expensive, synthetic musk is used in most cases except for high quality goods
Used in Chinese medicine as a cardiac stimulant

Incense sachets, incense sticks, kneaded incense etc.

South Seas

Waxy substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales
Used for preserving fragrance. Musk and ambergris are the two most important animal-derived incense materials.
Effective as a cardiac stimulant and an anodyne

medicine

Arctic Ocean

An incisor tooth of the male narwhal developed to approx. 2m in length
Effective as an antipyretic and an antidote

medicine

Australia etc.

Calculi formed within the gallbladder or bile duct of an ox. About 1-4cm in size in a spherical or irregular shape.
Effective as an antipyretic, a sedative or a cardiac stimulant

medicine