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In 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:
| Colour | Ingredient | Taste | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Beetroot powder / juice | earthy, slightly sweet | strong |
| Red | Hibiscus powder | adds a tart taste | medium |
| Red | Red perilla (赤紫蘇) | herbal, slightly minty (quite traditional) | medium |
| Red | Berry powders | sweet, fruity | weak–medium |
| Red / pink | 紅麹 | mild fermented rice, slightly fruity | strong |
| Yellow | Turmeric | warm, slightly bitter | very strong |
| Yellow | Gardenia fruit (くちなし) | nearly neutral | very strong |
| Yellow | Egg yolk | rich, custardy | medium |
| Yellow | Saffron | floral, honey-like | strong |
| Green | 抹茶 | Best to avoid since we're serving sweets with the tea | strong |
| Green | よもぎ | herbal, slightly bitter | medium |
| Green | Spinach powder | mild vegetal | medium |
| Green | Barley grass powder | grassy, fresh | strong |
| Green | Pandan powder | vanilla | medium |
| Blue | Butterfly pea flower | mild, slightly earthy | strong |
| Blue | Blue spirulina | very mild algae note | very strong |
| Purple | Purple sweet potato | sweet, earthy | strong |
| Purple | Blueberry powder | fruity, sweet | weak–medium |
| Brown | Cocoa | chocolate | strong |
| Black | Black sesame | nutty, roasted | strong |
| Black | Bamboo charcoal | neutral | very strong |
| Black | Squid ink | marine umami | very strong |