Traditional Japanese Colors: 151 Hex Code Swatches

Browse 151 traditional Japanese colors with hex codes, romaji names, kanji characters, and English names. Filter by 11 color families, search by romaji, English, kanji, or hex value, and click any swatch to copy the hex code in your browser.

151 named colors with romaji, kanji, English names, and hex codes
Filter by 11 color families: red, pink, brown, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, gray, white, black
Search by romaji, English name, kanji, or hex value
Click any swatch to copy the hex code to your clipboard
Use the hex codes in design tools that accept standard hex color input

How to Use This Color Reference

Browse or filter: Click a category tab to filter by color family, or use the search bar to find colors by romaji, English name, kanji, or hex value.
View details: Each card shows the romaji name, kanji characters, English name, and hex code.
Copy a hex code: Click any color swatch to copy its hex code to your clipboard. A confirmation message appears at the bottom of the screen.

Practical Applications

Web and UI design: Use these hex codes in CSS, Figma, or other design tools. The Gray and Brown families provide understated neutral backgrounds, while Ai-iro indigo and Kurenai crimson work well as accent elements in minimalist layouts.

Branding and packaging: Use traditional Japanese colors for product packaging, restaurant menus, and event materials. Sakura-iro pink and Momo-iro suit spring-themed products; Edo-period browns and grays create a restrained, handmade feel.

Art and illustration: Reference traditional palettes for digital paintings, textile patterns, or woodblock-style prints. The Purple family — including Murasaki and Edomurasaki — has historical associations with courtly rank, which can support period-inspired artwork.

FAQ

Q. What are traditional Japanese colors?

Traditional Japanese colors are named hues used for centuries in kimono design, woodblock printing, ceramics, and architecture. Many names come from natural dye sources — such as indigo (ai), madder (akane), and safflower (beni) — or from seasonal plants, minerals, and materials.

Q. How many traditional Japanese colors are there?

This collection includes 151 named colors organized into 11 families: red, pink, brown, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, gray, white, and black. Each entry provides the romaji pronunciation, kanji characters, English name, and hex code.

Q. Why do Japanese color names reference plants and nature?

Traditional Japanese dyeing often used botanical pigments. Indigo leaves produced deep blues, madder root yielded reds, and the bark of the Amur cork tree (kihada) provided yellows. These names preserve both the visual shade and the raw material associated with it.

Q. Can I use these hex codes in CSS and design software?

Yes. Each hex value can be used in CSS, Figma, Photoshop, Sketch, and other tools that accept standard hex color input. The muted, desaturated tones common in Japanese palettes work well in minimalist and wabi-sabi design styles.

Q. Which historical periods shaped the Japanese color system?

The Heian court (794–1185) established kasane no irome — strict rules for layering colors in kimono by season, occasion, and rank. During the Edo period (1603–1868), sumptuary laws restricted commoners from wearing bright colors, driving artisans to develop hundreds of subtle grays and browns known as shijuhachichahyaku-nezumi. Both eras contributed names still used today.

About Traditional Japanese Colors

Traditional Japanese colors — known as dentōshoku (伝統色) — are named hues used for centuries in kimono design, woodblock printing, ceramics, and architecture. This collection presents 151 swatches, each with its romaji pronunciation, kanji characters, English name, and hex code for digital projects.

The naming system stems from natural dye sources: indigo leaves (ai) for deep blues, madder root (akane) for rich reds, safflower petals (beni) for vivid crimsons, and the bark of the Amur cork tree (kihada) for warm yellows. Many names identify both the visual shade and the raw material historically used to produce it, preserving a direct link between color and the natural world.

Use this browser-based reference to filter by 11 color families, search by romaji, English, kanji, or hex value, and copy any swatch with a single click. The tool runs in the page, and no search or color-selection data is uploaded to a server.

Historical Origins

Heian period (794–1185): The imperial court established kasane no irome — strict rules for layering colors in kimonos according to season, occasion, and rank. The correct combination of inner and outer garment colors was a mark of refinement and social status.
Edo period (1603–1868): Access to dyes expanded beyond the aristocracy to the general public. In response to sumptuary laws that restricted commoners from wearing bright colors, artisans developed a vast range of subtle grays and browns — the shijuhachichahyaku-nezumi ("forty-eight browns and one hundred grays"). These muted tones became a hallmark of Edo-era aesthetics.
Meiji period onward: Synthetic dyes from the West entered Japan, but traditional names and aesthetic preferences persisted in modern kimono, packaging, and graphic design. Many of these colors remain standard references in Japanese art education today.

Names from all these eras remain in common use today, preserving both the visual shade and the cultural context from which it originated.

Use Cases

Website and app design: Copy hex codes directly into CSS variables, Tailwind config, or Figma color styles. The muted tones work well for backgrounds, cards, and typography in minimalist interfaces inspired by Japanese aesthetics.
Brand identity and packaging: Build color systems for products targeting Japanese-speaking audiences or Japan-focused markets. Pair Sakura-iro pink with Ai-iro indigo for a spring campaign, or use Edo-period grays and browns for an artisanal product line.
Digital art and illustration: Build kimono-inspired patterns, ukiyo-e-style prints, or textile designs. The Purple family (Murasaki, Edomurasaki) is associated with nobility, while the Blue family's indigo tones are central to kasuri and shibori dye patterns.
Education and cultural research: Use this reference in lessons on Japanese art history, the Heian court's color-layering customs, or the Edo period's shijuhachichahyaku-nezumi tradition. Many color names preserve links to plants, minerals, dyes, seasons, and everyday materials.
Event and interior design: Select traditional palettes for Japanese-themed weddings, restaurant interiors, or cultural exhibitions. The Brown and Gray families provide neutral base colors, while seasonal colors like Sakura-iro and Kurenai add focal accents.

Tips for Using Traditional Japanese Colors

Search broadly first: Start by typing a color family name like "red" or "blue" into the search bar to see all related shades across categories, then narrow down by clicking a specific family tab.
Check contrast ratios: Many traditional Japanese colors are intentionally muted and may not meet WCAG AA contrast requirements against white or dark backgrounds. Always verify text readability when using these hues in UI design.
Pair complementary families: For Japanese-inspired palettes, try pairing indigo blues with warm browns, or cherry blossom pinks with deep purples. The Edo-period aesthetic favors low-saturation combinations over high-contrast pairings.
Use the kanji to learn more: Each color's kanji characters often reveal the natural source of the dye. For example, 藍 (ai, indigo) uses the grass radical, while 茜 (akane, madder) uses the grass radical with the character for "west" — reflecting the plant's western-origin association.
Copy and paste into design tools: Hex codes work in CSS, Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, Sketch, Canva, and other tools that accept standard hex input. Use CSS custom properties (e.g., --sakura-iro: #FEDFE1) to maintain a named color system in your stylesheets.