In this article, we’ll introduce “musk,” one of the key ingredients Rokushingan.
Musk is a substance secreted from the scent glands located on the abdomen of male musk deer, which inhabit the Himalayas and the mountainous regions of China.
It is a pheromone that male deer use to attract female deer, and because it has a very sweet and strong scent, it is also used in fragrances and perfumes. I’m sure you’ve all heard of musk. It’s famous for being used in Chanel perfumes.
However, when it comes to the actual scent of musk, it has a strong ammonia-like odor—or perhaps a distinctively animal-like smell—and certainly can’t be described as pleasant. If you dilute it or let it sit for a while, though, it develops a pleasant aroma.
As a medicinal product, it is believed to have anxiolytic, tonic, anti-inflammatory, and sedative effects.
However, due to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which was ratified about 30 years ago, musk has become difficult to obtain.
We use materials that were imported prior to the ratification of the Washington Convention.
Rokushingan, which contains such musk, could be considered a rarity even on a global scale.