Kokikuchinashi
Kokikuchinashi, the 'deep gardenia,' is a rich, vivid orange, a stronger and more saturated expression of the warm yellow-orange its gardenia name suggests.
How it was dyed in 927
The Engishiki — the court regulations completed in 927 — records exactly what the palace dyehouse was allotted to dye this color. Quantities are per bolt of cloth; units are left in the original (1 kin ≈ 600 g, 1 shō ≈ 0.7 L in later standards — Heian equivalents are debated).
深支子 こきくちなし Deep gardenia
The Engishiki also gives scaled quantities for: 1 bolt of plain silk · 1 skein of silk thread.
Original text 原文
深支子綾一疋、紅花大十二両、支子一斗、酢五合、藁半囲、薪卅斤、帛一疋、紅花大八両、支子七升、酢四合、藁半囲、薪卅斤、糸一絇、紅花小一斤、支子三升、酢一合五夕、藁小半囲、薪廿斤、
Text: 『デジタル延喜式』校訂文（縫殿寮）, National Museum of Japanese History · 1900 printed edition (NDL)
Tints & shades
Harmonies within the tradition
Complementary and triadic companions, chosen from real traditional colors — not computed values.
Similar colors
The namesake
クチナシ 実 — what the name literally points to.
