The Overtones series is where Shoyeido gets interesting for people who think they do not like Japanese incense. Each stick takes a scent note you probably already know - cinnamon, vanilla, patchouli - and runs it through three centuries of Kyoto incense-making tradition. The result is familiar enough to feel approachable but refined enough to feel like something entirely new.
At $6 per box, the Overtones sit one dollar above the Jewel series and occupy a slightly different space. Where the Jewel sticks are organized by mood, the Overtones are organized by ingredient. You know exactly what you are getting into before you light the first stick. But the execution will probably surprise you.
Cinnamon
If you expect this to smell like a cinnamon roll or a stick of Big Red, you are going to be thrown off. Shoyeido's Cinnamon is warm and spicy, yes, but it is also dry, woody, and restrained. The sweetness that usually dominates Western cinnamon products is pulled way back. What remains is the bark itself, the actual spice, warm and slightly sharp.
It is excellent in fall and winter, but honest, it works year-round. The warmth is inviting without being heavy.
Frankincense
Frankincense is one of the oldest fragrance ingredients in human history, and Shoyeido treats it with appropriate respect. This stick leans into the resinous, slightly lemony quality of real frankincense rather than the church-incense heaviness most people associate with the name.
There is a brightness here that lifts the resin, keeping it from feeling solemn or stuffy. It is meditative without being ponderous. If you have been curious about frankincense but worried it would make your apartment smell like a cathedral, this is the version to try.
Palo Santo
Shoyeido's take on palo santo is worth trying even if you already own a palo santo candle. The incense format delivers the scent differently. It is more immediate, more concentrated, and the thin Japanese smoke adds a dimension that wax-based products cannot replicate.
The sweet, woody, slightly citrusy profile of palo santo comes through clearly, but filtered through Shoyeido's subtle hand. It is less raw than burning actual palo santo wood and more nuanced than most Western interpretations. At $6, it is also the cheapest way to get a high-quality palo santo experience.
Best for: Anyone who loves the note but wants to experience it in a cleaner, more refined format.
Patchouli
Patchouli carries more baggage than maybe any other scent note. Most people's reference is the heavy, musty, almost dirty patchouli oil from the 1970s. Shoyeido's version is a corrective. It is earthy and warm but also clean. There is a greenness to it that keeps it from going murky.
This is the stick that changes people's minds about patchouli. We have seen it happen at the shop more than once. Someone walks in convinced they hate patchouli, smells this, and buys a box. The Japanese approach strips away the heaviness and leaves the interesting part.
Tea Leaves
Tea Leaves is the most uniquely Japanese scent in the Overtones collection. It smells like high-quality green tea, slightly vegetal, slightly sweet, with a clean finish that lingers without overstaying. It is incredibly calming in a way that feels distinct from the other sticks.
If you are a tea drinker, this one will make immediate sense. It has that same contemplative, unhurried quality that a good cup of sencha has. Burn it in the afternoon. Burn it while reading. It is the most "quiet" scent in the collection and possibly the most beautiful.
Vanilla
Shoyeido's Vanilla is not a bakery candle in stick form. It takes the warm, sweet quality of vanilla and strips it down to something subtle and almost woody. There is a creaminess, but it is understated. The overall effect is comforting without being cloying.
This is the Overtones stick that appeals to the widest audience. Vanilla is a universally liked scent note, and Shoyeido's version is elegant enough to win over people who usually avoid anything that reads as "sweet." It is a great evening stick and pairs well with a warm, woody candle if you want to layer scents.
How the Overtones Fit Into Shoyeido's Range
The Overtones are the bridge between Shoyeido's beginner-friendly Jewel series and their more traditional Daily incense line. If the Jewel series is about mood and the Daily line is about depth, the Overtones are about accessibility. They take notes you already understand and show you what Japanese craftsmanship does with them.
Start with whatever note you are most drawn to. If you do not have a strong preference, Palo Santo and Tea Leaves are the two we recommend most often. They represent the range of what this series can do, one familiar and warm, the other delicate and unexpected.
Every Overtones stick is in stock at our fragrance bar on Soquel Ave. Come in, smell the full set, and take home the ones that click. Or if you want to explore Japanese incense more broadly, book a free scent flight and we will walk you through the whole Shoyeido range.