It is believed that Japanese Senko production was originated by a medicine merchant of Sakai who visited Korea during the Tensho era (1573 - 1592), and introduced the production technique and started production.
天正年間（1573～92年）に、堺の薬種商人が渡韓し線香の製法を導入製造したのが、日本最古の線香とされている。