Nippon Kodo is a Japanese manufacturer of premium incense and is behind brands such as Chië, Morning Star, Scentual and Herb & Earth. Nippon Kodo has been making incense for over 400 years and can be traced back to Juemon Takai, better known as Koju, a skilled craftsman in the field and the main supplier of precious rare and exquisite aromas to the Emperor of Japan and his court. Incense was brought to Japan in the 7th century by Buddhist monks, who used the mysterious aromas in their religious ceremonies, "Koh", as incense is called in Japanese.