Japanese Colors
Colors / Green in Japan

Green in Japan

For centuries Japanese treated green as a kind of blue — vegetation was 'aoi'. The named greens that later flowered are botanist's colors: young onion sprouts, matcha foam, bamboo, moss, and the impossible green of a kingfisher's back.

Rows of green tea fields in Wazuka, Kyoto
The bamboo grove of Arashiyama, Kyoto
Moss garden and green maples at Giō-ji, Kyoto
Green in Japan

41 named colors, dark to light:

深緑 Fukamidori 鉄色 Tetsu-iro 織部色 Oribeiro びろうど Birōdo 萌葱色 Moegiiro 虫襖 Mushi'ao 千歳緑 Chitosemidori 御納戸茶 Onandocha 常磐色 Tokiwairo 緑 Midori 青碧 Seiheki 木賊色 Tokusairo 松葉色 Matsuba-iro 左伊多津万色 Saitazumairo 苔色 Koke-iro 若草色 Wakakusairo 草色 Kusairo 鶸萌黄 Hiwamo'egi 老竹色 Oitake-iro 柳染 Yanagizome 淡萌黄 Usumo'egi 緑青 Rokushō 薄青 Usu'ao 青磁色 Seiji-iro 萌黄色 Moegiiro 青竹色 Aotake-iro 若葉色 Wakabairo 青白橡 Aoshirotsurubami 苗色 Naeiro 若竹色 Wakatake-iro 若苗色 Wakanaeiro 若菜色 Wakanairo 千草色 Chigusa-iro 柳色 Yanagiiro 山葵色 Wasabiiro 若緑 Wakamidori 水浅葱 Mizu'asagi 浅緑 Asamidori 裏葉柳 Urahayanagi 若芽色 Wakameiro 白緑 Byakuroku