Collection · 24 palettes

Maximalist Color Palettes

Crimson against ultramarine, vermilion on ink — the palette that refuses to apologize.

Maximalism isn't clutter — it's conviction. A maximalist palette takes the strongest pigments the tradition produced and combines them without softening, the way a Kabuki robe layers 'kurenai' (紅 — crimson) directly onto 'kon' (紺 — deep indigo), or a temple banner puts 'shu' (朱 — vermilion) against 'kuro' (黒 — ink). Wada's catalog is full of these fearless combinations because the underlying pigments — safflower, madder, indigo, cinnabar, turmeric, lacquer — were themselves so saturated that restraint would have been a waste. These palettes are reference material for print and editorial design that needs to survive a crowded newsstand, textile and wallpaper brands willing to carry a room, restaurant and hospitality identities that trade on drama, and any project where the brief is 'more, and better.'

Heian era

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Deep safflower crimson against navy — the courtly contrast of Heian-era robes and formal Edo textiles.

Kamakura era

Vermillion, Black, Gold— 朱・黒・金

The ceremonial triad of temple lacquerware — vermillion, lacquer black, gold leaf.

Edo era

Madder Red & Evergreen— 茜と常磐

The rooted red of madder-dyed cotton set against enduring pine green.

Kamakura era

Red Lead & Ink— 鉛丹と墨

The dense orange-red of lead oxide pigment struck against ink black.

Edo era

Turmeric & Indigo— 鬱金と藍

Warm turmeric yellow against true indigo — the everyday textile of Japanese farm life.

Edo era

Bitter Orange & Navy— 橙と紺

The sharp orange of the daidai citrus set off by deep indigo navy.

Edo era

Crimson Lake & Pine— 臙脂と松葉

The deep lake crimson of cochineal against pine needle green — winter evergreen.

Showa era

Red Orange & Pale Lemon Yellow +2

Plate 241 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Red Orange, Pale Lemon Yellow, Isabella Color, Dark Medici Blue.

Showa era

Eosine Pink & Burnt Sienna +2

Plate 242 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Burnt Sienna, Diamine Green, Black.

Showa era

Raw Sienna & Ivory Buff +2

Plate 243 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, Ivory Buff, Olive Green, Slate Color.

Showa era

Light Brown Drab & Vinaceous Tawny +2

Plate 244 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Light Brown Drab, Vinaceous Tawny, Andover Green, Antwarp Blue.

Showa era

Carmine Red & Oil Green +2

Plate 245 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Carmine Red, Oil Green, Dark Tyrian Blue, Slate Color.

Showa era

Corinthian Pink & Brick Red +2

Plate 246 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Corinthian Pink, Brick Red, Sulpher Yellow, Cinnamon Buff.

Showa era

Raw Sienna & Apricot Yellow +2

Plate 247 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, Apricot Yellow, Benzol Green, Deep Lyons Blue.

Showa era

Eosine Pink & Khaki +2

Plate 248 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Khaki, Grayish Lavender - A, Dark Slate Purple.

Showa era

Hay's Russet & Ecru +2

Plate 249 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hay's Russet, Ecru, Olive Ocher, Dark Medici Blue.

Showa era

Pyrite Yellow & Peach Red +2

Plate 250 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pyrite Yellow, Peach Red, Sea Green, Nile Blue.

Showa era

Red & Yellow +2

Plate 251 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Red, Yellow, Diamine Green, Slate Color.

Showa era

Eugenia Red | B & Raw Sienna +2

Plate 252 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eugenia Red | B, Raw Sienna, Sulphine Yellow, Green Blue.

Showa era

Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2

Plate 253 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Lemon Yellow, Apricot Orange, Cotinga Purple, Slate Color.

Showa era

Corinthian Pink & Sulpher Yellow +2

Plate 254 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Corinthian Pink, Sulpher Yellow, Olive, Laelia Pink.

Showa era

Raw Sienna & Pyrite Yellow +2

Plate 255 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, Pyrite Yellow, Calamine BLue, Black.

Showa era

Vinaceous Cinnamon & Orange +2

Plate 256 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Vinaceous Cinnamon, Orange, Dull Viridian Green, Black.

Showa era

Spectrum Red & Orange Yellow +2

Plate 257 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Spectrum Red, Orange Yellow, Blue, Aconite Violet.

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From the editorial · Long read

The Four Reds: Kurenai, Akane, Shu, Entan

Why Japanese tradition distinguishes safflower crimson from madder from vermilion from lead red — and which to reach for when the brief asks for 'a Japanese red.'

Read the article →

From the archive

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All 378 palettes (348 Wada + 30 editorial) in five formats
Figma design tokens (W3C-spec JSON, drag into any file)
Tailwind v4 + v3 configs — drop into any project
CSS custom properties — every plate, one stylesheet
378 museum SVG plates — print-ready at any size
Full JSON — colors, names, eras, moods, dominant hues

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Maximalist Color Palettes

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Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

Vermillion, Black, Gold— 朱・黒・金

Madder Red & Evergreen— 茜と常磐

Red Lead & Ink— 鉛丹と墨

Turmeric & Indigo— 鬱金と藍

Bitter Orange & Navy— 橙と紺

Crimson Lake & Pine— 臙脂と松葉

Red Orange & Pale Lemon Yellow +2

Eosine Pink & Burnt Sienna +2

Raw Sienna & Ivory Buff +2

Light Brown Drab & Vinaceous Tawny +2

Carmine Red & Oil Green +2

Corinthian Pink & Brick Red +2

Raw Sienna & Apricot Yellow +2

Eosine Pink & Khaki +2

Hay's Russet & Ecru +2

Pyrite Yellow & Peach Red +2

Red & Yellow +2

Eugenia Red | B & Raw Sienna +2

Lemon Yellow & Apricot Orange +2

Corinthian Pink & Sulpher Yellow +2

Raw Sienna & Pyrite Yellow +2

Vinaceous Cinnamon & Orange +2

Spectrum Red & Orange Yellow +2

Embed this collection

The Four Reds: Kurenai, Akane, Shu, Entan

Support the archive The full catalog, on your disk, as a thank-you.