The last verse from the song 'LOST LOVE IN THE RAIN' by Anri is really more than fitting for this fragrance. But more on that later.
Foreword
In my opinion, one of the greatest things about fragrances is that you can use them to bring old memories back to life. Smells store memories better than almost any other sensory modality, and that's how my little flashback incident came about...
Even someone who doesn't know me personally and only briefly glances at my profile by randomly clicking or something similar should still quickly realize that I'm a huge fan of Japan and Japanese culture.
Last year, I was finally able to fulfill my dream of a two-week trip and was finally able to see and experience the country up close.
But like all good things, this trip had to come to an end, and so it did. Plagued by wanderlust, I looked for an opportunity to experience Japan "up close and personal" once again and lo and behold: I discovered J-Scent.
When you read the name of the brand, you would initially think that it is a 'cheap brand' from America that is half-heartedly trying to create a 'Japanese fragrance'. The bottles don't necessarily exude the Japanese style either, but that's not a bad thing. So I overcame my prejudices and just had a look at what they were offering.
So I bought some absurdly overpriced samples from Luckyscent, a company that ironically comes from the USA, and tested
Yuzu Eau de Parfum,
Ramune Eau de Parfum and
Hanamizake Eau de Parfum. When I tested it, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. I particularly liked the
Hanamizake Eau de Parfum, the sake note is really first class!
After this testing, I decided to buy a fragrance from J-Scent. But that's not so easy! Finally, I found an option that I didn't quite understand and took it. Unfortunately, they didn't have the
Hanamizake Eau de Parfum and so I took the fragrance that came closest to it in terms of notes: The
Koiame Eau de Parfum .
Sprayable love in the rain (fragrance description)
So when the fragrance finally arrived, I immediately sprayed it on my wrist and BOOM! There it was - my personal flashback crisis.
Just like once before (see my review of "Vanilla & Saffron | Berdoues" ), my brain nerves catapulted me straight into my memories of Japan. This time, however, to Tokyo's 原宿駅 (Harajuku) station, which is known for its hip clothes stores. It was a rainy day and the train was comparatively full for the time of day. And there it is, that smell. It smells like rain, like fresh laundry, like a light fruity freshness. The scent is present and yet it hovers over us, simply heavenly.
And while I'm standing squeezed in between so many Japanese people who just want to get out of this vehicle as quickly as possible, I would love to stand here forever and listen to this song by Anri for the umpteenth time while dreaming of this scent.
To start with, we get a good dose of fruitiness (which I don't really like, but I think it's great here) with a slight sweetness: I can clearly smell apple, peach and mandarin. There is already a certain floweriness in the background, which is clearly recognizable as jasmine, magnolia and muted violets.
As the fragrance progresses, a light musk joins in, but remains permanently in the background. This facet gives the fragrance a fresh, creamy, airy feel. Like the rain itself, it carries a kind of scent, discreetly light and beautiful. However, this is not a European-French rain à la
Orage, but a beautiful Japanese rain in 代々木公園 (Yoyogi Park).
The fragrance is therefore a flowery, fruity, creamy sensation and is permanently present, but does not overwhelm you.
How strong can rain be? (Performance)
It's like a flower store in the rain: If you get close enough, you can clearly perceive the different blossoms and other facets, but this smell cannot be identified exactly where it comes from. It is simply there and surrounds you in a flattering way. After around 6-7 hours, it unfortunately clears up and the rain and scent disappear
Conclusion and parting words
Yes, memories are both a curse and a blessing. In this case, I am grateful that J-Scent gave me the opportunity to relive this moment. Before I can really talk about Japanese perfume art in depth, I need more bottles of J-Scent and definitely more than just one Di-Ser! At least I can already say that I am looking forward to further encounters!
Until the next review, またね！
Top Notes 
Apple
Bergamot
Blackcurrant
Green notes
Lemon
Mandarin orange
Peach
Heart Notes 
Jasmine
Magnolia
Rose
Violet
Water lily
Base Notes 
Cedarwood
Mossy notes
Musk
Holscentbar
