Recently, perfume has even helped build a movie character.
Some famous perfumes also appear in Japanese classical literature.
In "Sanshiro" (by Soseki Natsume - 1908) the heroine Miyako wears the famous perfume "Heliotrope". The role of perfume is not so important still, only faintly expressing heart intricacies between men and women (even though it was daring enough at that time).
It is only expressing her romantic inward emotions towards him, and not expecting or wanted something from him.
Heliotrope is also known to be one of the first perfumes which came to Japan. When we consider such backgrounds of the period this book was published, it is true that there certainly were not much perfume choices at that time.
However, Miyako's whispers "stray sheep, stray sheep", which symbolizes their relationship surely has a connection with the perfume name "Heliotrope".
Therefore, maybe it had to be this perfume.
50 years later, in 1957, appears the perfume "JOY (Jean Patou)" in Yukio Mishima's "Bitoku no Yoromeki（La vertu chancelante)".
JOY is a perfume with a gorgeous image, made with luxurious ingredients, so called the Rolls Royce in the perfumery world. The heroine Setsuko was wearing this perfume.
This perfume appears when Setsuko prepares herself with extra care to go on her first date.
Assuming the period this novel was written, perfume was still a very special luxurious item. But it is certain that he has selected between the few choices the most appropriate one for his main character.
It is true that "JOY" is perfect for a gracious upper-class woman like Setsuko.
Chanel is not appropriate for her. She is a different type of woman. Setsuko does not have any wit, she is simply elegant and it is only natural that Jean Patou's "JOY" was selected in order to make her stand out in the novel.
Mishima explains in his novel. "In today's world, not having an ambition is being elegant, therefore Setsuko was elegant. Being elegant is the equivalent of being beautiful. Men dream more about the elegant woman not so beautiful, than a beautiful woman of a row house in the back alley." (From "Bitoku no yoromeki" pg. 6)
Mishima's novels are read once, but rarely read twice.
The beautiful expressions are studded like jewels in the chapters but they are so aesthetic and filled with decadence that the mental health seems to be eroded.
A poisonous flower of an exceptionally beautiful fragrance.
