More on colors

We wrote in April about different theories surrounding the meaning of colors in Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki.  Some people tried to guess what would the color of Tsukuru himself be (the answer was: yellow).

This blogger points out that sets of 5 colors have traditionally been used in Japan (五色豆 goshikimame, traditional Kyoto sweets, 五色の短冊 the strips of paper on which wishes are written during Tanabata, the traditional carp decorations for May 5th, the five-color decorations of buddhist temples). 

The blogger agrees the the usual set of five colors includes: blue, red, and yellow - the primary colors and the neutral black and white. This set of five makes it possible to produce all other color variations. The picture below, showing a five-color temple decoration, was painted by the blogger. It is Zenkōji temple in Nagano.

To read the blog entry go to:http://blog.match-japan.com/?eid=89

And here are some pictures of different five-colored sets one finds in Japan:

Set of five plates

Goshikimame, famous Kyoto sweets

The carp decorations for May 5th

The Tanabata "wishing tree"