Japan in Colour – Yellow

Part of Japan in Colour · Episode 2

In Japan, yellow could mark ordinary clothing, imperial ceremony or precious gold. Plants such as kariyasu and kihada produced everyday dyes, while shades such as kōrozen carried very different associations. In this Japan in Colour episode, trace the links between colour, court hierarchy, craftsmanship and religious art. How did one broad colour family come to signify both humility and prestige?