What is the traditional Japanese color "blue"?
Blue is a traditional color that does not refer to the general "blue" but to a deep green color like tree leaves, and can refer to all green colors. In ancient Japanese, cool colors were generally called "ao," and when referring to a particularly deep green, it was said that the color of the kingfisher's feathers was expressed as "sonidori no ao," as seen in the "blue clothes of the kingfisher" written in the Kojiki. Plant dyes were used to dye green, but the pigments used in this method have the disadvantage of being easily discolored and turning brown over time. The only natural way to obtain a stable green color is verdigris, which is copper rust. For this reason, a technique was devised to layer indigo dyes and yellow dyes to create a long-lasting green color.
Blue = Green
Before the word or concept specific to "green" was created, the color of plant leaves and grass was also called "blue." This is a vestige of the deep green of plants and trees, which can be expressed as "green leaves" or "green vegetables." "Blue" is pronounced "midori."
DIC Japanese Traditional Colors: R34 G125 B81 #227D51/Blue (Green)
What is “Learn about Japan’s traditional colors”?
We will also introduce beautiful traditional Japanese colors, how to read their kanji, and the background behind the colors. Let's enjoy together the Japanese sensibilities that have been passed down since ancient times.
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Learn about Japan's traditional colors
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