30 named colors · 168 combinations

Red Color Combinations.

Deep crimsons, scarlets, and vermillions from Sanzo Wada's 1933 dictionary. Red in the Japanese shikisai tradition carries imperial authority and ceremonial weight — kurenai (crimson) was reserved for court robes; shu (vermillion) marks every shrine gate.

Named colors

30 red colors in the archive.

Combinations

168 red-dominant color combinations.

Every palette in the archive where red is the dominant hue — from Sanzo Wada's 348 historical plates plus editorial deep-dives.

Heian era

Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺

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

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.

Kamakura era

Vermillion, Black, Gold— 朱・黒・金

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

Edo era

Crimson Lake & Pine— 臙脂と松葉

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

Showa era

Grenadine Pink & Deep Indigo

Plate 6 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Grenadine Pink, Deep Indigo.

Showa era

Spinel Red & Naples Yellow

Plate 14 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Spinel Red, Naples Yellow.

Showa era

Vandyke Red & Pale King's Blue

Plate 16 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Vandyke Red, Pale King's Blue.

Showa era

Eugenia Red | B & Sea Green

Plate 17 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eugenia Red | B, Sea Green.

Showa era

Fawn & Dusky Madder Violet

Plate 18 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Fawn, Dusky Madder Violet.

Showa era

Grenadine Pink & Sea Green

Plate 21 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Grenadine Pink, Sea Green.

Showa era

Etruscan Red & Nile Blue

Plate 25 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Etruscan Red, Nile Blue.

Showa era

Corinthian Pink & Slate Color

Plate 27 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Corinthian Pink, Slate Color.

Showa era

Madder Brown & Deep Indigo

Plate 28 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Madder Brown, Deep Indigo.

Showa era

Pompeian Red & Mineral Gray

Plate 30 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pompeian Red, Mineral Gray.

Showa era

Red Orange & Pale Lemon Yellow

Plate 31 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Red Orange, Pale Lemon Yellow.

Showa era

Eosine Pink & Neutral Gray

Plate 34 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Neutral Gray.

Showa era

Light Brown Drab & Carmine Red

Plate 35 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Light Brown Drab, Carmine Red.

Showa era

Brick Red & Red Violet

Plate 37 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Brick Red, Red Violet.

Showa era

Carmine & Helvetia Blue

Plate 39 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Carmine, Helvetia Blue.

Showa era

Corinthian Pink & Aconite Violet

Plate 43 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Corinthian Pink, Aconite Violet.

Showa era

Etruscan Red & Grayish Lavender - B

Plate 47 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Etruscan Red, Grayish Lavender - B.

Showa era

Carmine Red & Blue

Plate 51 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Carmine Red, Blue.

Showa era

Old Rose & White

Plate 55 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Old Rose, White.

Showa era

Taupe Brown & Slate Color

Plate 57 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Taupe Brown, Slate Color.

Showa era

Hay's Russet & Sea Green

Plate 58 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hay's Russet, Sea Green.

Showa era

Eosine Pink & Citrine

Plate 59 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Citrine.

Showa era

Vistoris Lake & Cerulian Blue

Plate 63 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Vistoris Lake, Cerulian Blue.

Showa era

Light Brown Drab & Yellow

Plate 68 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Light Brown Drab, Yellow.

Showa era

Pompeian Red & Ochraceous Salmon

Plate 71 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pompeian Red, Ochraceous Salmon.

Showa era

Eugenia Red | B & Vandar Poel's Blue

Plate 77 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eugenia Red | B, Vandar Poel's Blue.

Showa era

Madder Brown & Green Blue

Plate 79 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Madder Brown, Green Blue.

Showa era

Hay's Russet & Dusky Madder Violet

Plate 82 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hay's Russet, Dusky Madder Violet.

Showa era

Corinthian Pink & Citron Yellow

Plate 87 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Corinthian Pink, Citron Yellow.

Showa era

Eosine Pink & Aconite Violet

Plate 90 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Aconite Violet.

Showa era

Vistoris Lake & Orange Rufous

Plate 91 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Vistoris Lake, Orange Rufous.

Showa era

Coral Red & Benzol Green

Plate 92 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Coral Red, Benzol Green.

Showa era

Hay's Russet & Dull Violet Black

Plate 95 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Hay's Russet, Dull Violet Black.

Showa era

Corinthian Pink & Etruscan Red

Plate 97 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Corinthian Pink, Etruscan Red.

Showa era

Madder Brown & Violet Blue

Plate 98 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Madder Brown, Violet Blue.

Showa era

Cameo Pink & Deep Lyons Blue

Plate 101 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Cameo Pink, Deep Lyons Blue.

Showa era

Carmine Red & Sulpher Yellow

Plate 104 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Carmine Red, Sulpher Yellow.

Showa era

Cameo Pink & Chromium Green

Plate 105 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Cameo Pink, Chromium Green.

Showa era

Eosine Pink & Brick Red

Plate 108 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Brick Red.

Showa era

Grenadine Pink & Black

Plate 112 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Grenadine Pink, Black.

Showa era

Cameo Pink & Blue Violet

Plate 116 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Cameo Pink, Blue Violet.

Showa era

Carmine & Black

Plate 117 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Carmine, Black.

Showa era

Cameo Pink & Pompeian Red

Plate 120 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Cameo Pink, Pompeian Red.

See all 168 red combinations →

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