Кяра

What kyara is

One particular grade of kōboku with a high oil content and superior fragrance is called kyara.

Agarwood forms in the heartwood of Aquilaria trees after they become infected with a type of mold. As the infection advances, the heartwood becomes very dense, dark and saturated with resin.

Origin and classification

Agarwood is found in certain parts of southeast Asia such as Vietnam. Japanese incense companies divide agarwood into six categories depending on the region obtained and the properties of the agarwood. In the rikkoku gomi system, kyara is the category linked to Vietnam.

Kōdō

Kōdō, the art of enjoying the incense of smouldering kōboku, is also called the Way of Incense. The spirituality and refined concentration central to kōdō place it on the same level as kadō, the Way of Flowers, and chadō, the Way of Tea. A resin forms in the heartwood of agarwood that gives a pleasing fragrance when heated.

Rarity and price

Raw materials such as agarwood are becoming increasingly rare due to the depletion of the wild resource. Kyara is currently worth more than its weight in gold. Lower grade kyara costs about 20,000 yen per gram, and top quality kyara costs over 40,000 yen per gram (as of late 2012).

Chemistry

The composition of agarwood oil is exceedingly complex, with more than 150 chemical compounds identified. At least 70 of these are terpenoids, in the form of sesquiterpenes and chromones, and no monoterpenes have been detected.

Conservation

Since 1995 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has listed Aquilaria malaccensis, the primary source, in its Appendix II. In 2004 all Aquilaria species were listed in Appendix II, though a number of countries have outstanding reservations regarding that listing.

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Related: Alder · Alpha Humulene · Amaranth · Amberever · Amburana Bark · Antillone · Apple Tree