Our sense of smell is incredibly important. In fact, our olfactory system sits in the same part of our brain that impacts our emotions, memories, and creativity. It's why a whiff of someone's perfume, the scent of your favorite comfort food cooking, or even unpleasant smells can affect you almost instantaneously. The Oita Fragrance Museum introduces visitors to a range of perfumed scents, with the opportunity to engage in a number of hands-on aromatherapy activities and crafts.
The museum spans three levels, with each floor taking a different approach to understanding fragrances. The first floor showcases a large number of perfume bottles, details on how fragrances are made (including details on practices like steam distillation), and an introduction to popular fragrances from different parts of the world. The second floor offers more of a historical insight, with information on fragrances from Ancient Egypt to the Middle Ages in Europe, the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods, and more. The third floor may be the most interesting, though — it's where visitors can connect with scent in an interactive way. The museum conducts classes where you can mix your own perfume blend, or create scent bags which are great for keeping in closets and drawers. There's also an aromatherapy experience room, where you can relax on a recliner with your choice of scents surrounding you.
