November 18th Color Calendar Fuji Yellow (Touou)
November 18th Color Calendar
Touou (Fuji yellow)
"Flakes of light illuminate the end of the season."
Fuji yellow is a color derived from the yellow resin extracted from the plant "kusashio" native to Southeast Asia. Known as "gamboge" in English, it was widely used in Buddhist art during the Nara period and in Yuzen dyeing and lacquerware decoration during the Edo period.
This color is a vibrant yellow with a slight reddish tinge. Like chrysanthemums, it evokes the final bloom of autumn. November 18th is also the time when the chrysanthemum exhibition is held, and fujio is a symbol of that color.
Fuji yellow evokes feelings of celebration and prayer. Its transparency and strength have been utilized in the painting of Buddhist statues, as a base for gold leaf, and to express light in picture scrolls. Like sunlight filtering through the air in late autumn, this color radiates tranquility.
"Light in the End" is an important theme in WABISUKE's philosophy. Fuji yellow is the color that illuminates the end of the season. It adds a touch of brightness to the "sabi" of wabi-sabi.
References
• "Traditional Japanese Colors" by Shikosha • "Japanese Color Handbook" edited by the Plant Dyeing Research Group • "Fuji Yellow" — irocore.com
• "The History of Color in Japan" Yoshikawa Kobunkan