Often this is one of the questions that we are asked by students. Exactly how many forms are there. Depending upon what you are using them for, and there are distinct workings that call for a certain type, there are many forms of incense. This will be a three part series on incense.

Part One

Direct Burning: What is this?

Direct burning is the incense type that is the form when lit it burns down the pre-made combustible content. Some of the forms of direct burning are:


Coil
Cone
Solid stick
Dipped or Hand-dipped

Direct burning incense of the above listed are  pressed into forms, or they may be coated onto a supporting material. Such as what you are used to seeing the stick form. All are external burning.




The making of the pressed forms are mixing water with the scent. Then this is mixed into a dough like consistency until it is a hard dough. Placing them in a binder like contraption or a makko.

After that the dough is shaped into the forms. The forms may be cones or coils. There is a press for the solid long stick like incense. There is no stick inside. When this is dried and ready it is trimmed into more uniform looking design.

One thing is that warping or malfunction in the design of the incense may happen due to the wrong climate settings. The temperature has to be just right.

Tomorrow Part Two: Indirect Burning