190 Types of Japanese Colors

Japanese colors are historically important colors in Japan that have their own words in the Japanese language. Color is in the mind as an interpretation of different wavelengths of light. As such, culture plays a role in color perception. Historically, the Japanese language had no word for green or orange and these were viewed as types of blue, red and yellow. This persists into modern Japanese culture where light greens are often referred to as blue, including the color green in traffic lights. Traditional Japanese colors reflect the dyes and paints that were historically available and how these appeared when applied to materials such as silk and wood. Old names for colors also refer to nature, food items and teas. Historically, certain colors were off limits to commoners as they were reserved to display the social status of the aristocracy and high ranking government officials. Some color names still reflect these rules today such as Kenpozome literally "legal dye", a reddish black. As a palette, Japanese colors are a rich source of dark earthy colors. The following are traditional colors of Japan.

Red

Red plum colored

Kobai-iro

紅梅色

#DB5A6B

Cherry blossom

Sakura-iro

桜色

#FCC9B9

Peach

Momo-iro

桃色

#F47983

Medium crimson

Nakabeni

中紅

#C93756

Washed-out crimson

Arazome

退紅

#FFB3A7

Pale crimson

Usubeni

薄紅

#F2666C

Ibis wing

Tokiha-iro

鴇羽色

#F58F84

Long spring

Choshun-iro

長春色

#B95754

Cochineal red

Enji-iro

臙脂色

#9D2933

Thrice-dyed crimson

Jinzamomi

甚三紅

#F7665A

Plum-blossom mouse

Umenezumi

梅鼠

#97645A

Pure crimson

Akabeni

赤紅

#C3272B

Red bean color

Azuki-iro

小豆色

#672422

Shrimp brown

Ebicha

海老茶

#5E2824

Dawn

Akebono-iro

曙色

#FA7B62

Red-orange

Shojohi

猩々緋

#DC3023

Persimmon-juice

Kakishibu-iro

柿渋色

#934337

Red kite

Benitobi

紅鳶

#913228

Black kite

Kurotobi

黒鳶

#351E1C

Glazed persimmon

Terigaki

照柿

#D34E36

Edo brown

Edocha

江戸茶

#A13D2D

Cypress bark color

Hihada-iro

檜皮色

#752E23

Rinsed-out red

Araishu

洗朱

#FF7952

Brewed mustard-brown

Tokigaracha

ときがら茶

#E68364

Overdyed red-brown

Sohi

蘇比

#E35C38

Chinese tea brown

Karacha

唐茶

#B35C44

Faded spicy red-brown

Sodenkaracha

宗傳唐茶

#9B533F

Chestnut-leather brown

Kurikawacha

栗皮茶

#60281E

Cherry blossom mouse

Sakuranezumi

桜鼠

#AC8181

Foreign crimson

Karakurenai

唐紅/韓紅

#C91F37

Deep scarlet

Kokiake

深緋

#7B3B3A

Water persimmon

Mizugaki

水がき

#B56C60

Sappanwood incense

Suoko

蘇芳香

#A24F46

True red

Shinshu

真朱

#8F1D21

Greyed red

Ginshu

銀朱

#BC2D29

Chestnut-plum

Kiriume

栗梅

#8B352D

Coral

Sango-iro

珊瑚色

#F8674F

Wilted brown

Shikancha

芝翫茶

#AB4C3D

Red birch

Benikaba

紅樺

#9D2B22

Cypress bark red

Benihibata

紅檜皮

#6F3028

Blood red

Benihi

紅緋

#F35336

Scarlet

Ake

緋

#CF3A24

Dyestalk red

Bengara-iro

紅柄色

#913225

Meat

Shishi-iro

宍色

#F9906F

Red incenseed

Akako-iro

赤香色

#F07F5E

Ochre

Otan

黄丹

#FF4E20

Muddy brown

Enshucha

遠州茶

#CB6649

more ...

Yellow

Light yellow

Asagi

浅黄

#F7BB7D

Egg

Tamago-iro

玉子色

#FFA631

Gold-brown

Yamabukicha

山吹茶

#CB7E1F

Undried wall

Namakabe-iro

生壁色

#785E49

Corn

Tomorokoshi-iro

玉蜀黍色

#FAA945

Golden oak

Kitsurubami

黄橡

#BB8141

Floral leaf

Hanaba-iro

花葉色

#FFB94E

Turmeric

Ukon-iro

鬱金色

#E69B3A

Faded Sennorikyu tea

Rikyushiracha

利休白茶

#B0927A

Lye

Aku-iro

灰汁色

#7F6B5D

Tea garden

Rokocha

路考茶

#665343

Rapeseed oil

Nataneyu-iro

菜種油色

#A17917

Nightingale brown

Uguisucha

鶯茶

#5C4827

Grass

Kariyasu

苅萱

#E2B13C

Steamed chestnut color

Mushikuri-iro

蒸栗色

#D3B17D

Finch brown

Hiwacha

鶸茶

#957B38

Nightingale

Uguisu-iro

鶯色

#645530

Golden yellow

Yamabuki-iro

山吹色

#FFA400

Sumac-dyed

Hajizome

櫨染

#E08A1E

Mulberry-dyed

Kuwazome

桑染

#C57F2E

Cape jasmine

Kuchinashi

梔子

#FFB95A

White oak

Shirotsurubami

白橡

#CE9F6F

Gamboge

Too

藤黄

#FFB61E

Eggshell

Torinoko-iro

鳥の子色

#E2BE9F

Golden fallen leaves

Kikuchiba

黄朽葉

#E29C45

Sennorikyu tea

Rikyucha

利休茶

#826B58

Japanese iris

Higosusutake

肥後煤竹

#7F5D3B

Simmered seaweed

Mirucha

海松茶

#4C3D30

Yellow Sea pine-brown

Kimirucha

黄海松茶

#896C39

Rape-blossom brown

Nanohanacha

菜の花色

#E3B130

Amur cork tree

Kihada

黄蘗

#F3C13A

Pale fallen leaves

Aokuchiba

青朽葉

#AA8736

Patrinia flowers

Ominaeshi

女郎花

#D9B611

Greenfinch

Hiwa-iro

鶸色

#BDA928

Pale oak

Aoshirotsurubami

青白橡

#BBA46D

Willow leaves

Urahayanagi

裏柳

#BCB58C

Green

Willow tea

Yanagicha

柳茶

#9C8A4D

Flirtatious indigo tea

Aikobicha

藍媚茶

#473F2D

Fragile seaweed

Miru-iro

海松色

#524B2A

Baiko brown

Baikocha

梅幸茶

#857C55

Siskin sprout yellow

Hiwamoegi

鶸萌黄

#7A942E

Willow dye

Yanagizome

柳染

#8C9E5E

Blue Black Crayfish

Aoni

青丹

#52593B

Rikan brown

Rikancha

璃寛茶

#534A32

Moss color

Koke-iro

苔色

#8B7D3A

Thousand year old brown

Sensaicha

千歳茶

#3B3429

Iwai brown

Iwaicha

岩井茶

#5E5545

Sooty willow bamboo

Yanagisusutake

柳煤竹

#4D4B3A

Pale young green onion

Usumoegi

淡萌黄

#8DB255

Fresh onion

Moegi

萌黄

#5B8930

Pine needle

Matsuba-iro

松葉色

#454D32

Pale blue

Usuao

薄青

#8C9C76

Willow grey

Yanaginezumi

柳鼠

#817B69

Thousand year old green

Sensaimidori

千歳緑

#374231

Whitish green

Byakuroku

白緑

#A5BA93

Patina

Rokusho

緑青

#407A52

Storeroom brown

Onandocha

御納戸茶

#3D4035

Greyish dark green

Rikyunezumi

利休鼠

#656255

Insect screen

Mushiao

虫襖

#2D4436

Aloeswood brown

Tonocha

沈香茶

#5A6457

Celadon color

Seiji-iro

青磁色

#819C8B

Rusty storeroom

Sabitetsuonando

錆鉄御納戸

#3A403B

Silk crepe brown

Omeshicha

御召茶

#354E4B

Young bamboo

Wakatake-iro

若竹色

#6B9362

Old bamboo

Oitake-iro

老竹色

#5E644F

Green

Midori

緑

#2A603B

Rusty celadon

Sabiseiji

錆青磁

#898A74

Horsetail

Tokusa-iro

木賊色

#3D5D42

Green bamboo

Aotake-iro

青竹色

#006442

Velvet

Birodo

びろうど

#224634

Fragile seaweed brown

Aimirucha

藍海松茶

#2E372E

Pale green onion

Mizuasagi

水浅葱

#749F8D

Blue-green

Seiheki

青碧

#3A6960

Iron color

Tetsu-iro

鉄色

#2B3733

Goryeo storeroom

Korainando

高麗納戸

#203838

Blue

Harbor rat

Minatonezumi

湊鼠

#757D75

Iron storage

Tetsuonando

鉄御納戸

#2B3736

Rusted light-blue

Sabiasagi

錆浅葱

#6A7F7A

Light blue

Asagi-iro

浅葱色

#48929B

Rusty storage

Sabionando

錆御納戸

#455859

Indigo

Ai-iro

藍色

#264348

Light blue flower

Hanaasagi

花浅葱

#1D697C

Opposite flower

Masuhana-iro

舛花色

#4D646C

Iron head flower

Noshimehana-iro

熨斗目花色

#344D56

Sky Blue

Sora-iro

空色

#4D8FAC

Ultramarine

Gunjo-iro

群青色

#5D8CAE

Coarse wool

Kachi-iro

褐色

#181B26

Prussian blue

Konjo-iro

紺青色

#003171

Stained red

Benimidori

紅碧

#78779B

Mousy wisteria

Fujinezumi

藤鼠

#766980

Wisteria

Fuji-iro

藤色

#89729E

Dull blue

Aonibi

青鈍

#4F4944

Aqua Blue

Mizu-iro

水色

#86ABA5

Inside of a bottle

Kamenozoki

瓶覗

#C6C2B6

New bridge

Shinbashi-iro

新橋色

#006C7F

Mousy indigo

Ainezumi

藍鼠

#5C544E

Onando

Onando-iro

御納戸色

#364141

Thousand herb color

Chigusa-iro

千草色

#317589

Light blue silk

Hanada

縹

#044F67

Kimono storage

Omeshionando

御召御納戸

#3D4C51

Black chestnut oak

Kurotsurubami

黒橡

#252321

Dark blue

Kon

紺

#192236

Lapis lazuli

Ruri-iro

瑠璃色

#1F4788

Dark blue lapis lazuli

Rurikon

瑠璃紺

#1B294B

Navy blue bellflower

Konkikyo

紺桔梗

#191F45

Safflower

Benikakehana-iro

紅掛花色

#5A4F74

Dark indigo

Futaai

二藍

#614E6E

Purples

Wisteria purple

Fujimurasaki

藤紫

#875F9A

Tatarian aster

Shion-iro

紫苑色

#976E9A

Blue violet

Shikon

紫紺

#2B2028

Thin color

Usu-iro

薄色

#A87CA0

Violet

Sumire-iro

菫色

#5B3256

Dark red

Kurobeni

黒紅

#23191E

Red wisteria

Benifuji

紅藤

#BB7796

Dove feather grey

Hatobanezumi

鳩羽鼠

#755D5B

Vine grape

Ebizome

蒲萄

#6D2B50

Tree peony

Botan

牡丹

#A4345D

Fake purple

Nisemurasaki

似せ紫

#43242A

Sappanwood

Suo

蘇芳

#7E2639

Vanishing red mouse

Benikeshinezumi

紅消鼠

#44312E

Bellflower

Kikyo-iro

桔梗色

#5D3F6A

Disappearing purple

Metsushi

滅紫

#3F313A

Deep purple

Kokimurasaki

深紫

#3A243B

Half color

Hashita-iro

半色

#8D608C

Purple

Murasaki

紫

#4F284B

Iris

Ayame-iro

菖蒲色

#763568

Rabbit-ear iris

Kakitsubata

杜若

#491E3C

Grape mouse

Budonezumi

葡萄鼠

#63424B

Wisteria and burnt-bamboo

Fujisusutake

藤煤竹

#4D3B3C

Plum purple

Umemurasaki

梅紫

#8F4155

Purple kite

Murasakitobi

紫鳶

#512C31

Mulberry dye

Kuwazome

桑染

#59292C

Achromatic

Unbleached silk

Shironeri

白練

#FFDDCA

Silver-grey

Ginnezumi

銀鼠

#97867C

Brown rat grey

Dobunezumi

丼鼠

#4B3C39

Betel nut dye

Binrojizome

檳榔子染

#352925

Black

Kokushoku

黒色

#171412

White mouse

Shironezumi

白鼠

#B9A193

Plain mouse

Sunezumi

素鼠

#6E5F57

Indigo ink brown

Aisumicha

藍墨茶

#393432

Ink color

Sumi-iro

墨色

#27221F

Indigo white

Aijiro

藍白

#EBF6F7

190 Types of Japanese Colors

Red

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Yellow

Green

Blue

Purples

Achromatic

Color Palettes

References

Color Theory

Color Theory Definition

Color Theory

Impossible Colors

Color Harmony

Color

Color Symbolism

Sensory Design

Rainbow Colors

Colors

Visual Design

Dominance

Symmetry vs Balance

Proportion vs Scale

Design Contrast

Design Unity

Visual Communication Examples

Information Design

Modern Design

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