Japanese Colors

The traditional colors of Japan,
hung out one by one.

349 named colors — indigo vats, safflower fields, Edo grays — each with its kanji, reading, hex value, and the story of where it came from.

Mount Fuji rising above cherry blossoms in full bloom
藍色 Ai-iro 茜色 Akaneiro 山吹色 Yamabuki-iro 萌黄色 Moegiiro 群青色 Gunjō-iro 藤色 Fuji-iro 桜色 Sakura-iro 朱色 Shu-iro 鼠色 Nezumiiro 紅色 Kurenaiiro

Browse by family

Red57 Pink14 Orange68 Yellow35 Green41 Blue49 Purple27 Brown34 Neutrals24

Beyond single colors

Traditional combinations 襲の色目Heian layered pairs, with seasons and meanings Palette maker 配色Generate palettes from real traditional colors Translate your color 変換Any hex → its nearest traditional Japanese colors Colors by season 季節Spring blossoms to winter snow — the calendar in color