Enji is a deep, slightly cool crimson — a lake dye traditionally made from cochineal insects. Matsuba is the dark green of pine needles. Together they are the auspicious color scheme of New Year decorations: pine branches tied with red cord.
Where it works
Winter campaigns, holiday branding
Wine and spirits
Heritage editorial
Historical context
This palette is inspired by the tradition of Sanzo Wada's 1933
Dictionary of Color Combinations, which cataloged combinations
drawn from centuries of Japanese cultural life. The specific colors
here use traditional shikisai names that have been in the public
domain for generations.
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<iframe src="https://colorcombinations.org/embed/enji-matsuba/" width="320" height="80" frameborder="0" style="border-radius:6px;overflow:hidden;" title="Crimson Lake & Pine color palette — colorcombinations.org"></iframe>
Preview
From the archive
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