November 12th Color Calendar Kourozen

November 12th Color Calendar

Yellow lacquer dye

"In the deepening autumn, it exudes quiet dignity."

Korozen is a deep yellow-brown color with a reddish tint, dyed with dye extracted from the bark and fruit of the wax tree. Since ancient times, it has been a color only permitted for the Emperor's formal wear, and is known as one of the forbidden colors.

This color is not just formal, but embodies the aesthetic sense of the Japanese people who live in harmony with nature. The cloth is dyed quietly deep in the mountains in late autumn, when the wax tree berries ripen. The depth of the color is born from the accumulation of time, effort, and prayerful gestures.

November 12th is in the middle of Shimotsuki, when the leaves are at their deepest and the air is crystal clear. Wearing a color like yellow lacquer dye on such a day naturally makes you feel like you're standing up straight. It's not flashy, but it has a definite presence. It's a color with an unwavering core amidst its stillness.

This color is also in line with WABISUKE's philosophy. Avoiding gaudiness and valuing depth. Yellow lacquer dye teaches us that true beauty resides in things that have aged over time.

References

• "Traditional Colors of Japan" Shikosha • "The Aesthetics of Forbidden Colors" Iwanami Shoten • "Kurozen" - Traditional Color Culture Research Group • "The History of Color in Japan" Yoshikawa Kobunkan