Fragrance comparison

Koto vs The First Date

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

Updated 19 Oct 2026 132 ratings analysed

Koto

Shiseido

4.23131 votes

Rank #27,145 LeatherEarthy

Full profile Similar & dupes

20%scent match

Clearly different

3 wins

The First Date

Tulpa Club

5.001 votes

Rank #52,196 RoseLeather

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

The First Date takes 3 of 4 categories.

Koto
Choose it for a leather and earthy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
The First Date
Choose it for a rose and leather character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Koto1/4

The First Date3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: The First Date
Sillage & projection: The First Date
Value for money: The First Date
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

KotoShiseido

The First DateTulpa Club

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 131 votes

Have 43%Had 13%Want 44%

5.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 33%Had 0%Want 67%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

45%Like

2%Ok

8%Dislike

2%Hate

131 votes

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage43

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevityThe First Date

SillageThe First Date

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value73

¤ Price value100

Category winnerThe First DateBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

leather100%

earthy92%

woody84%

white floral77%

mossy69%

aldehydic61%

rose100%

leather92%

warm spicy84%

fruity77%

powdery69%

animalic61%

Scent match20%Clearly different · both leather

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

AldehydesGreen NotesSpicesCitruses

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusGardeniaJasmineRoseLily-of-the-Valley

Base

oak mossLeatherCastoreumPatchouliAmberVetiver

Top15-30 mins

SpicesRed BerriesCitruses

Heart2-4 hrs

Rose PetalsPowdery Notes

Base6-8+ hrs

LeatherWoody Notes

InformationalShared notesSpices, Citruses and Leather. Durations are only published for The First Date, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring81

Summer47

Fall100

Winter41

Day100

Night36

Spring100

Summer100

Fall100

Winter0

Day53

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex48

Women52

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Date 38%Party 26%Casual 24%Work 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#27,145

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#52,196

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerKotoHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

The First Date by Tulpa Club delivers a tart, romantic leather profile built around red berries, dewy rose petals, and worn jacket leather. The opening arrives with a punchy splash of tart berries and crushed citruses. Warm spices heat up quickly on warm skin. Within thirty minutes, velvety rose petals push forward ag…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Koto or The First Date?

The First Date takes 3 of 4 categories. Koto is rated 4.23/5 from 131 votes; The First Date is rated 5.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Koto for a leather and earthy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose The First Date for a rose and leather character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Koto or The First Date?

The First Date lasts longest (The First Date 80/100, Koto 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Koto or The First Date?

The First Date projects furthest (The First Date 75/100, Koto 43/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Koto and The First Date smell similar?

Clearly different: a 20% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share leather accords. Common notes include Spices, Citruses and Leather.

Is Koto or The First Date better for summer or winter?

Koto suits daytime wear; The First Date suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Koto and The First Date?

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. The First Date has top notes of Spices, Red Berries and Citruses, heart notes of Rose Petals and Powdery Notes, a base of Leather and Woody Notes.