桜井・森香ノート研究室
Research on scent, olfaction, sensibility, space, and culture
About the LabScent is quietly connected to memory, emotion, space, and culture.
Rather than judging scent simply as pleasant or unpleasant, we observe how it is sensed, how it is remembered, and how it relates to people and places. We think about scent, record it, and study it from both a scientific perspective and the perspective of human sensibility.
Research Fields
The laboratory observes the phenomena surrounding scent across four fields. Each field is interrelated, and connects to our research notes and research themes.
How do people sense scent, grasp it, and put it into words? We observe the very process of perceiving scent.
Related theme: Olfactory Science →How does scent connect with memory, emotion, and personal experience? We keep asking that question.
Related theme: Olfaction and Sensibility →How is scent involved in the perception of space and the atmosphere of a place? We treat it as a phenomenon that changes within its environment.
Related theme: Space and Scent →How has scent been treated and felt within Japanese culture, among its plants, and in everyday life? We trace that story.
Related theme: Scent and Japanese Culture →Research Method
01
We observe phenomena of scent and perception, both in everyday experience and in research.
02
We record and organize what we have observed, and the knowledge gained from literature and sources.
03
We distinguish established knowledge from research hypotheses and questions that remain unverified.
04
We organize the relationships among pieces of knowledge, and consider the next questions and the possibilities for application.
Research Infrastructure
Alongside research on scent, olfaction, memory, and space, the Sakurai Morika Note Laboratory is also developing a research infrastructure supported by AI. By organizing research materials and related knowledge in a structured way, and by using AI agents and automation, we aim to make parts of the research process more efficient and to build an environment in which knowledge can be accumulated and used continuously.
In Operation
Automated workflows are in daily use for the regular collection and organization of research and market information. The procedures from a research request to the organization of its results are documented, and information we publish goes through a quality-check process that verifies sources and wording.
In Development
We are developing a research support system that structures scent-related knowledge and organizes and analyzes the relationships between pieces of knowledge. We are also improving the AI-agent workflows that support our research.
Our Goal
We aim to apply the accumulated knowledge base to research on space and scent, and to put knowledge to use in related fields. Beginning with internal research support, we are exploring the possibility of eventually developing this into a reusable system.
Automated processes run according to predefined procedures. Steps that involve publication or judgment are always reviewed by a person. Through repeated testing and verification, we correct errors and keep improving.
Culture and Nature
How has scent been treated and felt within Japanese culture? Taking fragrant wood, incense, literature, religion, and everyday life as our clues, we consider the relationship between the people of Japan and scent. …
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Culture and Nature
The scents released by plants are not merely pleasant smells. The production and release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) involve not only the plant's own state, but also temperature, light, and the surrounding environment. …
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Scent and Space
We sense space not only with our eyes, but through sound, temperature, touch, and scent. Where does scent exist within a space, and how do we recognize it? …
Read article →About the Lab
The Sakurai Morika Note Laboratory explores scent and olfaction in their relationship with human sensibility, memory, space, nature, and culture.
By observing, recording, and thinking about scent, we explore the potential of olfaction, a sense we cannot see.
Valuing both a scientific perspective and human sensibility, we gradually build up knowledge and records about scent.
Tokyo, Japan
Phone: +81 080-2166-1154
Email: [email protected]
We welcome inquiries concerning research exchange, research on space and scent, sensory experience and cultural research, and the application of research knowledge. Please feel free to contact us.
