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87 Types of Japanese Red

 , August 31, 2018 updated on June 04, 2023
Red is considered a national color of Japan due to its prominent use in the Japanese flag that represents the sun. The Japanese historically believe that the Emperor is the direct descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. Red, particularly vermilion, is widely used in Japanese shrines and is considered an auspicious color that represents power, authority, wealth and nation. Beyond shrines, the use of red in Japanese architecture is fairly rare as it is considered an extremely audacious color appropriate for the Shinto Gods but surely not for the home of a mortal. Red is often used in ceremony, festival and celebrations in Japan. For example, Japanese people customarily wear a red cap and vest to their 60th birthday party. On New Years, red lacquerware is used to serve a ceremonial sake known as otoso. The following are common variations of red color that are traditionally used in Japan.
Red - Aka or Aka-iro - 赤 or 赤色
Red used in the Japanese flag1
Hinomaru no akairo
日の丸 の 赤色
#F1172F
Vermilion
Shuiro
朱色
#ff3500
One pound of dye
Ikkonzome
一斤染
#F08F90
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/rouge
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 (lit. orangutaned)
Shojohi
猩々緋
#DC3023
Persimmon-juice color
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
Spicy red-brown (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 (blood)
Ake
#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
Birch brown
Kabacha
樺茶
#B14A30
Sparrow-brown
Suzumecha
雀茶
#8C4736
Boiled red bean brown
Momoshiocha
百塩茶
#542D24
Ibis
Tobi-iro
鳶色
#4C221B
Walnut-dyed
Kurumizome
胡桃染
#9F7462
Sumac-dyed
Korozen
黄櫨染
#592B1F
Rich gardenia
Kokikuchinashi
深支子
#F57F4F
Red ochre
Taisha-iro
代赭色
#9F5233
Polished brown
Tonocha
礪茶
#985538
Stylish persimmon
Sharegaki
洒落柿
#FFA26B
Daylilyed
Kanzo-iro
萱草色
#FF8936
Red dye and turmeric
Beniukon
紅鬱金
#FB8136
Legal dye
Kenpozome
憲法染
#2E211B
Amber
Kohaku-iro
琥珀色
#CA6924
Decaying leaves
Kuchiba-iro
朽葉色
#D57835
Clove-dyed
Chojizome
丁子染
#A96232
Brushwood-dyed
Fushizome
柴染
#8C5939
Weathered bamboo (lit. "sooty")
Susutake-iro
煤竹色
#593A27
Earthen yellow
Odo-iro
黄土色
#BE7F51
Chinese yellow teaed
Kigaracha
黄唐茶
#B7702D
Cattail
Kaba-iro
蒲色
#B64925
Scorched brown
Kogecha
焦茶
#351F19
Washed-out persimmon
Araigaki
洗柿
#EC8254
Sawtooth oak
Akashirotsurubami
赤白橡
#EC956C
Green teaed
Sencha-iro
煎茶色
#824B35
Pale persimmon
Usugaki
薄柿
#FCA474
Plum-dyed
Umezome
梅染
#FA9258
Clove-brown
Chojicha
丁子茶
#8F583C
Loquat tree brown
Biwacha
枇杷茶
#AB6134
Pale incense
Usuko
淡香
#FFA565
Golden brown
Kincha
金茶
#C66B27
Fox
Kitsune-iro
狐色
#985629
Aloewood
Kyara-iro
伽羅色
#6A432D
White teaed
Shiracha
白茶
#C48E69
Golden-grey bamboo
Kinsusutake
銀煤竹
#7D4E2D
The brown of flattery
Kobicha
媚茶
#6B4423
Red fallen leaves
Akakuchiba
赤朽葉
#DB8449

Notes

1. Various specifications have been printed over the years for the color of the Japanese flag. These are rarely consistent. Please check with the latest Japanese government specifications if you are doing something official.
2. The Japanese for red is aka or 赤. This is represented in hiragana as あか. It is also common to refer to red as akairo, literally red color, or 赤色.

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References

Payrat A. Album des pavillons nationaux et des marques distinctive. pp. JA 2.1. 2000.
Hibi, Sadao; Fukuda, Kunio. The Colors of Japan. Kodansha International. 2000.
Nagasaki, Seiki. Nihon no dentoshoku: Sono shikimei to shikicho. Seigensha. 2001.
Nihon Shikisai Gakkai. Shinpen shikisai kagaku handobukku. Tokyo Daigaku Shuppankai. 1985.

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