Fragrance comparison

Higher Self vs Koto

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 14 Nov 2026 138 ratings analysed

Higher Self

TOBBA

3.297 votes

Rank #63,369 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

Koto

Shiseido

4.23131 votes

Rank #29,901 LeatherEarthy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Koto takes 3 of 4 categories.

Higher Self
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring.
Koto
Choose it for a leather and earthy character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Higher Self1/4

Koto3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Koto
Sillage & projection: Higher Self
Value for money: Koto
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Koto

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

Higher SelfTOBBA

KotoShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.29/ 5 · 7 votes

Have 9%Had 5%Want 86%

4.23/ 5 · 131 votes

Have 43%Had 13%Want 44%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

14%Like

0%Ok

14%Dislike

29%Hate

7 votes · too few to score

44%Love

45%Like

2%Ok

8%Dislike

2%Hate

131 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity48

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate57

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage43

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityKoto

SillageHigher Self

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value73

Category winnerKotoBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

lavender84%

earthy77%

green69%

fresh spicy61%

leather100%

earthy92%

woody84%

white floral77%

mossy69%

aldehydic61%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both woody and earthy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Notes

LavenderVetiverGreen NotesCitrusesJasmineFrankincensePatchouli

No top / heart / base split published

Top

AldehydesGreen NotesSpicesCitruses

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusGardeniaJasmineRoseLily-of-the-Valley

Base

oak mossLeatherCastoreumPatchouliAmberVetiver

InformationalShared notesVetiver, Green Notes, Citruses and Jasmine. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter0

Day–

Night–

Spring81

Summer47

Fall100

Winter41

Day100

Night36

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men0

Unisex48

Women52

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#63,369

PerfumerJasper Li

Launched—

Reviews1

Overall rank#29,901

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerKotoHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Higher Self by TOBBA opens with a bright burst of citruses and green notes, introducing a clean, outdoor freshness right away. As it rests on the skin, the herbal quality of lavender takes over, grounded by earthy patchouli and a touch of frankincense. It is a quiet, dry, and slightly smoky aromatic blend. We recommen…

Reviews →

Shiseido Koto opens with a dry, sharp gust of aldehydes and bitter green notes. It immediately sets a cool, intellectual tone that feels miles away from the sugary confections of modern department store shelves. As it warms on the skin, a powdery heart of narcissus and orris root comes forward, keeping the profile cri…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Higher Self or Koto?

Koto takes 3 of 4 categories. Higher Self is rated 3.29/5 from 7 votes; Koto is rated 4.23/5 from 131 votes. Choose Higher Self for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose Koto for a leather and earthy character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Higher Self or Koto?

Koto lasts longest (Koto 59/100, Higher Self 48/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Higher Self or Koto?

Higher Self projects furthest (Higher Self 50/100, Koto 43/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Higher Self and Koto smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and earthy accords. Common notes include Vetiver, Green Notes, Citruses and Jasmine.

Is Higher Self or Koto better for summer or winter?

Koto suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Higher Self and Koto?

Higher Self features Lavender, Vetiver, Green Notes, Citruses and Jasmine. Koto has top notes of Aldehydes, Green Notes, Spices and Citruses, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Gardenia and Jasmine, a base of oak moss, Leather, Castoreum and Patchouli.