Listening to Scents

What role does "scent" play in our everyday lives?
From room fragrances that create atmosphere in a space, to perfumes we carry with us when going out, many forms easily come to mind.
At MUJI we design products with today's living environment in mind, to accompany our daily lives. Among them, we offer a selection of scent-based products derived from plants, such as incense, essential oils and aroma candles.
The history of scent in Japan goes back about 1500 years, and over time it has taken many different forms. Notably, a famous piece of literature, "Tale of Genji", written in the Heian period, describes how scent was incorporated into daily life in ways surprisingly close to how we enjoy it today.

This exhibition reconsiders "scent" with its rich history through five perspectives: life, history, experience, blending, and language.
What makes a "good scent" for us, or in which olfactive elements do we find comfort? This is an experimental attempt to invite us all into the abstract world of olfaction.
Through this exhibition, we hope to provide a moment to listen to scents, and at the same time, to quietly listen to our inner self, amid the ever-changing flow of contemporary life.