Note Pyramid
Ginza
Hinoki is the material that makes Shiseido Ginza Eau de Parfum worth the attention of anybody who already owns a dozen florals.
Pomegranate opens it, tart and translucent, with pink pepper lifting it on a rosy prickle, and the first few minutes are bright without being sharp. It is a short opening and the flowers do not wait long before arriving.
Four of them come together: orchid soft and slightly powdery, freesia transparent with a peppery edge, magnolia creamy and lemony, jasmine warm and full. Blended rather than layered, they make a dense, well behaved bouquet that could belong to any number of good perfumes, and on its own the heart would be pleasant and unremarkable.
The base is what distinguishes it. Hinoki is Japanese cypress and it smells clean, dry and resinous with a cool quality somewhere between a bath house and a plank of new timber, which is rare in Western perfumery. Patchouli sits beneath it adding earth and a dark bitterness, and sandalwood smooths everything into a milky finish. The contrast between a European floral heart and that distinctly Japanese base is the whole idea of the fragrance, and it is well judged. Expect seven hours, with the first two carrying and the rest close in. It suits autumn and spring, daytime and evening equally, and reads as feminine. Karine Dubreuil-Sereni and Maïa Lernout are the perfumers and the year on it is 2021.
Few beauty companies are as old as this one. Shiseido was founded in 1872 as what it calls Japan's first private Western style pharmacy, opened in the Ginza district of Tokyo by Arinobu Fukuhara, and it moved into skincare in 1897 and perfume in 1917. That 1917 fragrance is the one the company regards as the start of all its perfumery.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
Similar Notes
The Scent Vault
Join thousands earning on every order
Earn points as you shop, redeem for money off, and unlock member perks.
Find out more
The Scent Vault Gift Cards
Give the gift of choice
One card, every scent. Let them pick the fragrance that is truly them. Send it instantly by email, or schedule it for a future date with a message of your own.
Shop gift cards
