Heian era
Crimson & Navy— 紅と紺
Deep safflower crimson against navy — the courtly contrast of Heian-era robes and formal Edo textiles.
#9A2A2A
red · 1 palette
Kurenai
紅
Safflower crimson
About Kurenai
Kurenai (紅) is a deep, muted red tone. Its hex value is #9A2A2A — that is
RGB 154, 42, 42, or HSL 0°, 57%, 38%.
Safflower crimson.
It holds 7.7:1 contrast against white, so Kurenai works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 7.7:1; on black 2.7:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Kurenai appears in 1 combination — most often paired with Kon and Gofun.
The story of Kurenai
Kurenai (紅) is the deep crimson dyed from safflower petals (紅花, benibana) — one of the most labour-intensive colours in the entire Japanese tradition. Producing a single bolt of kurenai-dyed silk required pressing safflower petals through cold water, alkaline water, and acid in sequence; the yield was tiny. During the Heian period the colour was so expensive that laws periodically forbade commoners from wearing it.
The result is a crimson that sits a fraction cooler and more purple than the Western 'crimson lake' pigment, and slightly less brown than burgundy. It signals ceremony, status, and the highest grade of formal attention — the colour of a court robe, a wedding kimono, or a New Year envelope. Modern brand systems can use it for the same: heritage hospitality, luxury textiles, premium publishing.
Working note: Pairs canonically with navy or indigo (the Heian formal palette). Avoid black — kurenai loses its character against black and reads as generic dark red.
See Kurenai in the Japanese Color Glossary →
How often colors like this recur across the 348 plates — the data analysis →
Colours that go with Kurenai
From a standard colour wheel, Kurenai anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#9A2A2A #2A9A9A
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#9A2A2A #9A2A62 #9A622A
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#9A2A2A #2A9A2A #2A2A9A
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#9A2A2A #2A9A62 #2A629A
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Kurenai
Kurenai is a deep, muted tone (HSL 0°, 57%, 38%), which makes it a versatile mid-tone for accents, buttons or blocks. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a light background (7.7:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#2A9A9A) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#9A2A62 and #9A622A) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Studio
Taking Kurenai off the screen
A hex code is an instruction to a screen, not a colour. Where this one is going decides what it needs next.
Affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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...onto paper
Start here if the palette gets printed. Screen colour and ink colour are not the same colour, and this is the deck that translates between them.
Listed on Amazon as Pantone Formula Guide – Coated & Uncoated | Professional PMS Color Matching System for Print, Packaging & Graphic Design | GP1601B
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...onto a screen you can trust
Start here if it stays digital. An uncalibrated monitor is the single most common reason a palette that looked right on your desk looks wrong everywhere else.
Calibrite
ColorChecker Passport Photo 2
Listed on Amazon as Calibrite ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 Portable Color Calibration Kit for Photo and Video, 4 Target Set for White Balance, Exposure and Creative Look
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...by hand
Start here if you are mixing it. Wada's plates were flat printed colour; gansai pans are the closest everyday medium to them.
Kuretake
Gansai Tambi 24 — Art Nouveau
Listed on Amazon as Kuretake GANSAI TAMBI Watercolor Paint Set 24 Colors II - Art Nouveau
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Palettes with Kurenai
Kurenai appears in 1 combination from the archive. For how usage like this compares across the whole dictionary, see the data analysis of all 348 plates.
Questions about Kurenai
- What is the hex code for Kurenai?
- Kurenai (紅) is #9A2A2A. Safflower crimson It appears in 1 historical color combination from Sanzo Wada's 1933 "A Dictionary of Color Combinations".
- What does Kurenai look like on white and black backgrounds?
- Kurenai (#9A2A2A) has a WCAG contrast ratio of 7.67:1 against white (#FFFFFF) and 2.74:1 against black (#000000). WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
- Where does the color Kurenai come from?
- Kurenai is documented in Sanzo Wada's "A Dictionary of Color Combinations" (1933, Seigensha Art Publishing 2010 reprint). Wada catalogued red pigments and historical Japanese color terms. The source work is in the public domain.
- Can I use Kurenai in my own design or brand?
- Yes. The color name and hex value (#9A2A2A) are factual data — not copyrightable. Our curation and descriptions are CC BY 4.0 licensed.
From the archive
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