Inspired by the power and majesty of The Great Wave Off Kanagawa—an iconic Edo-period Japanese painting completed by Katsushika Hokusai in 1830—the scent experts at Drift introduce The Great Wave, August’s Scent of the Month. This woodblock print features deep blue waves rising up toward gnarled, frothy whitecaps that loom menacingly over Mt. Fuji, the thin slivers of three oshiokuri-bune boats bent like toothpicks under growing pressure. As each element in the painting tells a story, so too do the scent notes in Drift’s The Great Wave. 

The scene captured by Hokusai several hundred years ago features a tense moment suspended in time. Drift’s The Great Wave seeks to recreate that moment with yuzu, hinoki, sea moss, and salt water accord. When these elements combine, they create an experience unlike any other. 

Discover Drift’s August Scent: Yuzu, Hinoki, Sea Moss & Salt Water

The Journey Begins: Yuzu’s Promise

Adventures that stretch across the sea with but a hazy concept of the destination as a guiding light often seek treasury, glory, or both. Yuzu’s plump, yellow peel reflects a similar golden hue of accomplishment every exploration craves, yet what lies within can often be surprising. Although yuzu appears to be shaped similarly to an orange that’s colored like a lemon, the inside holds a great number of seeds waiting to be sown.

In the context of The Great Wave, the bright hope at the start of an expedition meets the towering and unforgiving power of nature as each wave builds. Human nature seeks to survive, endure, and triumph with every last shred of will, despite the tribulations that lie ahead. Hinoki and humanity’s ability to bend nature to its will hold the key to overcoming that which seems impossible.

Hinoki: Humanity’s Shelter Against Nature’s Capriciousness

The fickleness of nature lies in its tendency to destroy life with one action and bring it forth with another. Hinoki, a Japanese cypress tree known for its straight grain and resistance to decay, bears up under the brunt of nature’s wrath. In fact, this East Asian wood is commonly used for sculptures, temples, and shrines because of its durable and fragrant characteristics.

It was also commonly used during artist Katsushika Hokusai’s lifetime to build oshiokuri-bune boats, the very same vessels depicted in The Great Wave. Yet the same water that fed these mighty trees could also drown them—and their human occupants—at sea. That cycle of life and death is what connects us all. 

Bonds Between All Living Things: Sea Moss and Interconnectivity

Much of aquatic life relies on complex ecosystems to flourish, and the same can be said for creatures living on land—humanity included. Like the reaching, curling tendrils of sea moss, the branches between all living things are countless, as are the waves that stir the sea into motion. You can see the resemblance between sea moss and the hooked ends of the waves as depicted in The Great Wave Off Kanagawa.

As humanity struggles to overcome challenges, it requires sustenance to continue, from the oxygen necessary for breathing to the nourishment that supplies energy. Within the ocean’s ecosystem, sea moss fulfills these roles, producing oxygen, offering a food source, and maintaining the water quality to sustain life. That’s not to mention the various health benefits it provides once harvested. 

Sowing the Salt Water Accord of Life

One might say that the salt water accord that rounds out the key elements of The Great Wave—August’s Scent of the Month—brings the journey full circle. The fruit of life and adventure bloom fully at the start of any expedition, endure the same natural elements responsible for its growth, and finally wilt to return to where it began. Almost nothing can escape nature’s cycle of life, yet the inevitability of death holds as much value as does the promise of life.

In The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, Hokusai depicts Mt. Fuji in the background, the immense mountain dwarfed by a looming wave that also threatens seamen in their oshiokuri-bune boats. Silent observer of the struggles of humanity, Mt. Fuji and its reaching peak stand in stark contrast to the sea’s plummeting depths. Between them, humanity plays out its role in a complex and interwoven destiny incomprehensible to most, and yet treasured by those who partake in it. 

Chart a Course for Adventure With Drift’s Scent of the Month Club

Drift’s August Scent of the Month, an homage to The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, exemplifies the brand’s continued dedication to natural ingredients and sustainably sourced scent solutions. Our Wood, Stone, and Metal car fresheners feature alder wood, organic stone, and alloy metal, respectively, each of which is infused with expertly curated essential and fragrance oil blends. Vegan, cruelty-free, and safe for use around pets and children, Drift car fresheners are a no-brainer when it comes to enhancing your car’s interior. 

Joining Drift’s Scent of the Month Club earns you exclusive access to The Great Wave scent—and many other monthly scents throughout the year—but there’s even more in store. Pick up The Great Wave Gift Set for a limited-edition three-pack set featuring our Wood car fresheners and a decorative gift box sleeve featuring this iconic Japanese artwork. Keep one for yourself and share the other two with your friends or family members for the ultimate luxury car freshener experience. 

Guarantee You’ll Receive the Freshest Scents Year-Round

Ride the waves of fragrance into the unknown and explore the wonders of uncharted territory with carefully selected, luxurious scents, courtesy of Drift. Can’t get enough of The Great Wave car freshener? Pick up The Great Wave refill for our best-selling Home Scent Diffuser to keep the ocean vibes going throughout your home. 

Subscribing to the Scent of the Month Club secures you first dibs on the latest scents, delivered straight to your door every month. After joining the Scent of the Month Club, sign up for email notifications of the latest limited-edition releases, like The Great Wave Gift Set. We can’t wait for you to see which scents we’ve chosen for next month—and every month after that!