Japanese Colors and Their Symbolism

Photo by Tianshu Liu on Unsplash

Japanese colors and their symbolism are different than the West’s since perceptions of colors are a cultural construct. They reflect the country’s history and beliefs. Read on to discover the Japanese culture’s different colors and why.

In Japanese, the Green and Blue Used to Be the Same

Today, the word ao (青) means blue, but it was used to describe both the blue and green colors for a very long time. Japanese people made no difference between the two hues. Later, the word midori (緑) appeared and was more widely used to say green.

Still, the use of ao to describe the green color still remains in some Japanese vocabulary. For example, aoba (green leaves) or aoume (green plums). This is also why in Japanese green traffic lights are called ao shingo (literally, “blue signal”).

Like in most cultures, green is usually associated with nature and a sense of peace and calm.