You might think there’s unlikely to be any interesting mathematics arising from incense appreciation, but that’s only because you’re unfamiliar with the peculiar character of Muromachi (室町) era (circa 1300-1500) Japanese nobles. There has never been a group of people in any time or place who were so keen to display their sophistication and refinement. It wouldn’t do to merely put out a few sticks of incense - no, you would have to prove that your taste was more exquisite, your judgement more refined, your etiquette more oblique.