November 4th Color Calendar: Yellow Fallen Leaves (Kikuchiba)

November 4th, Color Calendar: Yellow Fallen Leaves

"Golden memories spread out at your feet."

The ginkgo trees line the streets in gold. Today's color is "yellow leaves" -- the yellow of the decaying leaves evokes the end of autumn and the lingering light.

The yellowing leaves have faded slightly from their vibrant yellow, the color of the leaves just before they return to the earth. A color that is both gorgeous and ephemeral, befitting the transition between seasons. The sight of the ginkgo leaves dancing in the wind and covering the road is like fragments of memory quietly falling and piling up.

This color pays homage to time gone by. It represents letting go of the vivid remnants of summer and preparing to welcome the silence of winter. The yellowing leaves are also the color of a heart that embraces change.

If you pick up a ginkgo leaf today, it is not just a fallen leaf. It may reflect the "ending" of something important inside you.

References

• "Traditional Japanese Colors" by Shikosha • "Japanese Color Handbook" edited by the Plant Dyeing Research Group • "Yellow Fallen Leaf Color" — irocore.com
• "Dictionary of Color Names for the Four Seasons" Kodansha