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| colour [12.03.2026:1847] – created aequivinius | colour [21.07.2026:1547] (current) – aequivinius |
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| * In [[kashi|和菓子]], colours are very important. Of course, you can use food colouring; but I think it's nice if you use natural colours: | ===和菓子=== |
| | In [[kashi|和菓子]], colours are very important. Of course, you can use food colouring; but I think it's nice if you use natural colours: |
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| ^ Colour ^ Ingredient ^ Japanese name ^ Taste / Aroma ^ Colour potency ^ | ^ Colour ^ Ingredient ^ Taste ^ Potency ^ |
| | Red | Beetroot powder / juice | ビーツ | earthy, slightly sweet | strong | | | Red | Beetroot powder / juice | earthy, slightly sweet | strong | |
| | Red | Hibiscus powder | ハイビスカス | tart, fruity, floral | medium | | | Red | Hibiscus powder | adds a tart taste | medium | |
| | Red | Red perilla | 赤紫蘇 (*aka shiso*) | herbal, slightly minty | medium | | | Red | Red perilla (赤紫蘇) | herbal, slightly minty (quite traditional) | medium | |
| | Red | Strawberry powder | いちご | sweet, fruity | weak–medium | | | Red | Berry powders | sweet, fruity | weak–medium | |
| | Red / pink | Red yeast rice powder | 紅麹 (*beni-kōji*) | mild fermented rice, slightly fruity | strong | | | Red / pink | 紅麹 | mild fermented rice, slightly fruity | strong | |
| | Orange | Carrot juice/powder | 人参 | mild sweetness, vegetal | medium | | | Yellow | Turmeric | warm, slightly bitter | very strong | |
| | Orange | Pumpkin powder | かぼちゃ | sweet, nutty | medium | | | Yellow | Gardenia fruit (くちなし) | nearly neutral | very strong | |
| | Orange | Paprika powder (sweet) | パプリカ | mild pepper sweetness | strong | | | Yellow | Egg yolk | rich, custardy | medium | |
| | Yellow | Turmeric | ウコン | warm, slightly bitter | very strong | | | Yellow | Saffron | floral, honey-like | strong | |
| | Yellow | Gardenia fruit | 梔子 (*kuchinashi*) | nearly neutral | very strong | | | Green | 抹茶 | Best to avoid since we're serving sweets with the tea | strong | |
| | Yellow | Egg yolk | 卵黄 | rich, custardy | medium | | | Green | よもぎ | herbal, slightly bitter | medium | |
| | Yellow | Saffron | サフラン | floral, honey-like | strong | | | Green | Spinach powder | mild vegetal | medium | |
| | Green | Matcha | 抹茶 | grassy, bitter tea | strong | | | Green | Barley grass powder | grassy, fresh | strong | |
| | Green | Yomogi (mugwort) | よもぎ | herbal, slightly bitter | medium | | | Green | Pandan powder | vanilla | medium | |
| | Green | Spinach powder | ほうれん草 | mild vegetal | medium | | | Blue | Butterfly pea flower | mild, slightly earthy | strong | |
| | Green | Barley grass powder | 大麦若葉 | grassy, fresh | strong | | | Blue | Blue spirulina | very mild algae note | very strong | |
| | Blue | Butterfly pea flower | バタフライピー | mild, slightly earthy | strong | | | Purple | Purple sweet potato | sweet, earthy | strong | |
| | Blue | Blue spirulina | スピルリナ | very mild algae note | very strong | | | Purple | Blueberry powder | fruity, sweet | weak–medium | |
| | Purple | Purple sweet potato | 紫芋 | sweet, earthy | strong | | | Brown | Cocoa | chocolate | strong | |
| | Purple | Red cabbage extract | 紫キャベツ | mild vegetal | medium | | | Black | Black sesame | nutty, roasted | strong | |
| | Purple | Blueberry powder | ブルーベリー | fruity, sweet | weak–medium | | | Black | Bamboo charcoal | neutral | very strong | |
| | Brown | Cocoa | ココア | chocolate | strong | | | Black | Squid ink | marine umami | very strong | |
| | Brown | Kinako | きな粉 | roasted soybean | medium | | |
| | Brown | Kuromitsu | 黒蜜 | molasses-like sweetness | medium | | ===Japanese culture=== |
| | Black | Black sesame | 黒胡麻 | nutty, roasted | strong | | * I also have a page about the cultural meaning of [[purple]] |
| | Black | Bamboo charcoal | 竹炭 | neutral | very strong | | * Also, the Japanese have great names for some colours: 利休ねずみ for a warm gray, うぐいす茶色 for a green-brown etc. |
| | Black | Squid ink | イカ墨 | marine umami | very strong | | |
| | White | Rice flour | 米粉 | neutral | n/a | | ===染司よしおか=== |
| | White | Shiro-an | 白餡 | mild bean sweetness | n/a | | She's written a whole book on traditional colours, for example: |
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| | > {{ruby|黄土色|おうどいろ}}: A dark yellow with a slight reddish tint. Ochre (黄土) refers to the yellowish-brown soil found in northern China, Europe, and central North America. It is formed when wind carries and deposits dust from arid regions containing quartz, feldspar, mica, and other minerals. The ochre used as a pigment or paint is made by mixing clay with iron oxide obtained by refining red earth. “It nourishes Heaven and Earth.” (「天地を養」) In other words, the //I Ching// states that Heaven is black and Earth is yellow. Before the ground throughout Japan became covered with concrete, children would use up their ochre-colored paint or crayon much faster than any other color. |