Hinoki Essential Oil
AKA Hinoki cypress, Japanese cypress--a beautifully subtle woody oil, with warm, sweet, soft fruit undertones. Considered anti-bacterial as well.
Product Information
Chamaecyparis obtusa.
Distilled in Japan from sawdust left over from traditional uses of sacred hinoki wood. Hinoki means “fire tree.”
Our hinoki comes from the Kiso Valley protected forest in Nagano prefecture. This is a sacred, protected area, dedicated to the Goddess of the Sun, Amaterasu. The forest acts as buffer between the sanctuary and also provides timber for the shrine there.
Kyūiki-rin (宮域林) means Shrine Precinct Forest and it also provides the timber used for construction of the Shrine, which is rebuilt every 20 years or so. Whether this mirrors the earths journey around the sun, a human generation, the cyclic continuation of life, or as a way a to preserve craftmanship, or a bit of each, I'm not sure. As the process of building and dismantling is quite long, there is usually some activity taking place.
The shrine trees have their bases wrapped in bamboo mats; this is to protect the bark from wear and tear as Shrine visitors touch the bark for luck, and over time, this can damage the tree.
Hinoki is known as a very high quality wood, and is one of the preferred building materials in Japan, especially for its subtle aroma, which continues to exude for years. There are instances in Japan of hinoki structures up to 1300 years old and it’s still possible to smell the odor of the wood. Some of the other traditional uses include Noh masks, bathtubs, temples, palaces, rice mixing tubs, table tennis handles and masu, the small square saki boxes we find in some sushi bars. The wood itself is light pinkish, with a rich, straight grain and it resists rot.
It's the shaving and dust from bathtub and ofuro carvings that is distilled into Hinoki essential oil.
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Considered to be anti-bacterial, hinoki trees are endemic to Japan and are also found in Taiwan
Hinoki essential oil is a fine woody ethereal odor with lemony notes and a warm and sweet undernote.
Arctander says
Hinoki root oil is a pale yellow liquid of dry, woody, camphoraceous odor with a peculiar warm-sweet, almost spicy undertone. The oil consists almost entirely of terpineol, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes.
Safety Warning
As with most essential oils, dilute before using on skin. Perform a patch test before use if essential oil sensitivity is suspected. Do not take essential oils internally. Do not use on children or pets. Seek advice from a trained aromatherapist before using on people with compromised immune systems. Keep away from eyes and mucus membranes.
Enfleurage makes no medical claims relating to any products, essential oils or otherwise, on our website or through social media. We are an essential oil company, not doctors, The FDA has not evaluated the statements on this website. We present our information in order to educate our customers on traditional and general uses of essential oils; in no way do we diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease or condition.
You the customer are responsible for understanding the safe use of any and all of our products, including essential oils, and use them accordingly.
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