Reading Japan through Colors: A Story of Traditional Colors and Emotions
Japan in Color
— A story of traditional colors and emotions —
Prologue: Colors are emotions before they become words
When people see color, they are not just receiving visual information.
There, signs of the seasons, lingering memories, and indescribable emotions quietly reside.
Japan's traditional colors are a mirror that reflects the visible ``mind,'' and there are also poems that speak to the depths of the culture.
The gifts woven by WABISUKE encapsulate emotions through color and create memorable moments.
In this blog, we will explore the emotional stories behind traditional Japanese colors from the perspectives of seasons and gift-giving.
Chapter 1: Colors have a voice in the seasons
● Sakurairo (cherry blossom color): A premonition of parting and beginning
A pale, ephemeral, and somewhat sad cherry blossom color.
Cherry blossoms bloom with the arrival of spring and quickly fade, imprinting "parting" and "beginning" in the hearts of Japanese people.
When adding cherry blossom color to a gift, it is filled with prayers for a new beginning and gratitude for the past.
● Seiran: The stillness and depth of summer
The deep blue of indigo dye evokes the tranquility of a summer night.
Blue indigo is not only a cool color, but also a color that reflects introspective emotions.
When Seiran is used as a gift, it becomes like a letter that conveys "calmness" and "thoughtfulness."
●Kuchibairo (decaying leaf color): Memories of autumn and maturity
The color of decaying leaves is that of dying leaves.
It's not a symbol of attention, but of maturity and return.
When giving fabrics or using this color in autumn, it represents "the temporary packaging of life" and "accumulating gratitude."
● Shironeri: Winter silence and purification
Shiraneri is quiet and clear white like snow.
When this color is added to winter gifts, it is a prayer for ``purification'' and ``regeneration.''
White has the power to say nothing and encompass everything.
Chapter 2: Colors evoke memories
● Suou: The warmth of a memory
Sapphire is a deep reddish-purple color.
It has been used as a dye since ancient times and was found in the clothing of nobles.
This color evokes the warmth of distant memories and a quiet passion.
● Light blue: A nostalgic feeling like the wind
Light blue is a wind-like color with hints of blue and green.
It was widely used in townspeople's culture during the Edo period and was an integral part of the lives of ordinary people.
This color conveys nostalgia and lightness at the same time.
● Koubaiiro (Red Plum Color): A Girl's Memories and First Love
Beni-ume color is the pale red that comes when plum blossoms begin to bloom.
It is a color that evokes the bittersweetness of first love and the memories of a young girl.
When you use this color in a gift, it conveys kindness and hope.
Chapter 3: Colors reflect the spirit of the gift
WABISUKE gifts translate emotions through color.
It is a means of conveying emotion quietly and surely through words.
Color name Emotions The meaning of conveying
Cherry blossom color Parting and Beginning Prayer for Departure
blue indigo Silence and depth calm down
Red plum color Kindness and hope and hopes for the future
Fallen leaves color Maturity and gratitude Thoughts on long-standing ties
White training Purification and Regeneration A prayer for a new beginning
Color reflects the giver's feelings and is memorable to the recipient.
It is a "vessel of emotions" that can be passed down through time.
Final Chapter: Reading Japan through Color, and Towards the Future
The traditional color of Japan is not blue.
It is the voice of the seasons, the afterimage of memories, and a translator of emotions.
WABISUKE breathes life into gifts while inheriting a certain philosophy of color.
Colors are emotions before they become words.
And when color accompanies the act of speaking, it becomes poetry.