What is the traditional Japanese color "white"?
The traditional color white is the brightest of all colors. It is also used as a general term for colors close to white. Of the color names in ancient Japanese, only four are original: aka (dawn), kuro (dusk), shiro, and ao (birth, indicating pale brightness); the other color names are derived from plant dyes and mineral pigments. In folk beliefs, white was a special color that abhorred sin and impurity and symbolized purity and innocence. Animals such as white horses, white deer, white foxes, and white hawks were believed to be the transformed forms of gods and human souls, and were considered to be auspicious omens.
White = Shiro
In Japan, white clothing has been used since ancient times for the dead and in religious ceremonies, and is considered the color that protects the soul. On the other hand, there is also the white wedding dress, and white is treated as a special color that symbolizes "beginning" and "purification." "White" is pronounced "shiro."
DIC Traditional Japanese Colors: R255 G255 B255 #FFFFFF/White
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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