What is the traditional Japanese color "Kozome"?
A light yellow-brown with a slight blackish tinge is a traditional color called kozome. Originally, it was dyed by boiling cloves, and adding iron or lye produces a subdued brown color, while without a mordant it becomes a pale color. Cloves are a fragrance with a sweet and elegant scent, and were very expensive in the past. Therefore, when they were difficult to obtain, safflower and gardenia were combined to produce a slightly reddish yellow color called "kokiko" (strong fragrance) as a substitute.
Kozome = Fragrance dye
Cloves are a spice made from dried flower buds that bloom on tropical evergreen trees. In addition to being used as a spice in cooking, they were also prized as incense in the past, and their rich fragrance is the origin of the color name. "Kozome" is pronounced "kouzome."
DIC Traditional Japanese Colors: R176 G119 B54 #B07736 / Kozome
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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