Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Summary 2
Introduction

Colors Understanding in Japanese Culture

Conclusion 9
Recommendation

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References 11

Summary
The pupose of this report was to investigate color psychology effect in
advertising and new media. Based on understanding of social culture, colors
have affected in certain culture and have different myths about different
colors. This report focused on understanding of Japanese culture about
colors. Japanese has a different understanding in different colors.

Introduction
The purpose of this report was to investigate color psychology in Japanese
culture effect in advertising and new media. The scope while investigating this
report it is important to consider the Japanese culture, their understanding in
different colors, the function of the colors itself in their social culture.
Limitations of this report is additional information difficult to get. The
information used in this report was collected by doing research on internet.

Colors Understanding in Japanese Culture

Colour is a form of non-verbal communication. Each colour has a variety of
associations within Western culture; it can also mean something completely
different from China to India. Colour alters the meaning of the objects or
situations with which they are connected. Colour preferences can predict
consumer behaviour. It is important to pay attention on varying meanings and
emotions that a particular audience can assign to colour, especially in this
dynamic environment. Japanese culture has evolved greatly from its origins.
Contemporary culture combines influences from Asia, Europe and North

America. Traditional Japanese arts include crafts such as ceramics, textiles,

lacquerware, swords, dolls, and performances. The culture has affected the
understanding of colors meaning. Based on their social life everyday, things
around them, and from the generations before them. In addition, specific
colors have associations with particular things. For example, most Japanese
think of apples as red. Colors may be linked to certain things and images, as
well as to expression of certain feelings. Japanese society has long-standing
traditions that have shaped the Japanese for millennia. Colors have symbolic
associations that appear in Japanese art, dress and rituals, and many have
maintained those meanings even as Japanese society rapidly changes.
Drawing inspiration from nature and historical texts, Japanese color
symbolism helps others identify the emotional state or desires of those
wearing certain colors. As a civilization develops, so does its notion of religion,
social classes, job specialization, and the like. Many cultures have attached
meaning to colors that relate to these, and Japan is no different. These are
the colors and the meaning each of it from Japanese culture understanding :

a. Red
Red is a powerful colour, which has both positive and negative associations energy, passion, anger and aggression. The intensity of red draws attention
and encourages action. Red can help one to overcome negative thoughts, but
too much red can trigger irritation, fear, and intolerance. Red is a meaningful
colour in Japanese society, which represents strong emotions as it is the
colour of the sun on the Japanese flag. It also promotes love and intimacy.
However, most Japanese think that the sun is red. Children usually draw the

sun as a big red circle. The Japanese national flag "rising sun has a red circle
on a white background. Flags have been used from long ago as symbols of a
nation and its people. As the color of the sun in Japanese culture and on the
Japanese flag, red is the color of energy, vitality, heat, and power. Red also
represents love and intimacy, including sexual desire and the life force and
energy in people.

b. White
White is the colour of perfection, peace, and neutrality. In colour psychology,
the colour white encourages us to confront obstacles, reminds purification of
thoughts, and enables fresh beginnings. It produces a sense of calm, comfort,
order and efficiency. However, excessive use of white can create feelings of
coldness, empty, and isolation. White has been an auspicious color in Japan
for much of its history. White is a blessed color in Japan as it signifies purity
and cleanliness in traditional Japanese society. However, White is also the
close link to death. White represents purity and cleanliness in traditional
Japanese society, and is seen as a blessed color. Because of the sacred
nature of the color, white is the color of weddings and other joyful life events,
and appears on the Japanese flag. White also used for wedding kimono used
in traditional style ceremony.

c. Black
The colour of black means self-control, independence and seriousness; it
frequently give an impression of strength, sophistication and uncompromising
excellence. Black provides a sense of comfort and protection as it hides
vulnerabilities and insecurities. In contrast, too much black creates an
intimidating and unapproachable environment. Black is a powerful and
foreboding color in Japanese culture. Traditionally, black has represented
death, destruction, doom, fear and sorrow. Especially when used alone, black
represents mourning and misfortune, and is often worn to funerals. Black has
also traditionally been a color of formality, and has increasingly come to
represent elegance, with the growing popularity of Western conceptions of
black tie events. Black also use for black ink in calligraphy is brushed on pure
white paper with pitch black ink. It consists of the kanji (black) and the
radical (earth).

d. Blue
Blue is the colour of wisdom, loyalty and trust. It is the calming colour that
provides a sense of reliable, responsible, coolness, and intellectual. Although
blue is the world's most liked colour of all, it has negative traits such as
inflexible, predictable, unforgiving, and coldness, depending on its tone. Blue
is also a color which represents purity and cleanliness in traditional Japanese
culture, largely because of the vast stretches of blue water that surrounds the
Japanese islands. As such, blue also represents calmness and stability. Blue
is considered a feminine colour, and is often used in art and clothing. Young
women often wear blue maiko dress to show their purity. Blue usually use for
traditional blue fabric was colored using indigo dyes, and even today indigo
blue is a common color in Japanese clothing. The suits worn by university
students visiting potential employers for job interviews as well as the standard
attire of office workers is often dark blue of various shades. Blue also worn for
school uniform.

e. Green
Green generates stability between the head and the heart from a colour
psychology perspective. This colour symbolizes self-respect, wealth, harmony,
refreshment, environmental awareness and love. Green is the colour of
growth, fertility, life and balance; consequently it creates a feeling of peace,
relaxation and calmness. Green is the color of fertility and growth in traditional
Japanese culture. Green is the color of fertility and growth in traditional
Japanese culture. It also represents eternity, as evergreen trees never stop
growing. Green also can found on Green tea which is traditional tea of
Japanese. Green tea is made by a process that preserves the green color of
the tea leaves.

f. Yellow
The colour yellow shines with happiness, energy and optimism, which is the
best colour to create enthusiasm for life. It is the colour of confidence and
creativity. Yellow can stimulates mental processes, activates memory and
encourages communication. On the contrary, wrong tones of yellow can be
interpreted as jealousy, judgmental and impatient. Japanese believe that
yellow is the color of courage, beauty, aristocracy, and cheerfulness. The
Japan Industrial Standards (JIS) code designates yellow and yellow-and-black
stripes as signifying warning. Yellow is used at railway crossings to indicate
caution, school children's hats are bright yellow to increase visibility for
motorists, and the bumpy lines installed in station floors and sidewalks to
guide the visually impaired are yellow. Yellow also can mean the color of
sunflower which is the flower of Japan.

g. Purple
The colour of purple creates harmony of the mind and the emotion. While
spiritually calming the emotions, it also represents the future, the imagination
and dreams. Purple has associations with royalty and the nobility that
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promotes an impression of luxury and wealth. Excessive use of purple can

also indicate introversion, suppression and decadence. The color was named
'Imperial Purple', and defines power, status, and wealth in Japanese culture.
Japanese understanding of purple is the color that represent privilege and
wealth. In Japan, the color is traditionally associated with the Emperor and
aristocracy.

h. Pink
The color pink usually serves two purposes. It can be used to show childish
innocence, or a characters child-like personality. It can also be used to show a
more flirtatious personality. Pink is normally a color associated with girls and
femininity. Pink is considered a color of good health and life, and the
"freshness" of a newborn baby. Lastly, pink is associated with sexuality, and
purity. Pink is symbolic of pure love, for example. It is also the color used for
sexual advertisements and such, to indicate the purity of the girls.

Conclusion
Japanese has different understanding of colors based on their culture. The
use of colors can be found based in their life. Colors has been a really
important and affected things in Japan because each color has its own
meaning. In addition, specific colors have associations with particular things.
For example, most Japanese think of apples as red. Colors may be linked to
certain things and images, as well as to expression of certain feelings. Colors

have symbolic associations that appear in Japanese art, dress and rituals,
and many have maintained those meanings even as Japanese society rapidly
changes. Japanese color symbolism helps others identify the emotional state
or desires of those wearing certain colors. Color symbolism can vary
dramatically between cultures. Research has also shown that most colors
have more positive associations with them then negative. So, although some
colors do have negative connotations, such as Black for a funeral or for evil,
these negative elements are usually triggered by specific circumstances.
Peoples age also has an effect on how colors are perceived. For example,
children tend to like bright, happy colors. Colour can shape the way we think.
It has strong associative meanings in different cultures. Furthermore, it can
stimulate a powerful subconscious response and affect persuasiveness.
Therefore, understanding the cultural colour differences is a significant factor
in multicultural marketing.

Recommendation
As designer, have to understand the meaning of colors in Japan and also in
different country before designing something. Because color is one of the
most important aspect in design. If designer use some colors that not
supposed to use in some country, it will be a very big mistake. The most
important is to know who is the target audiences. When designing projects
such as websites you need to keep the above in mind. Especially keep in
mind the culture and religious meaning of color. Colors have different meaning
in different cultures and religions, so knowing your target audience can be one
of the key factors in the success or failure of your site. By knowing who is the

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target audiences, it is the easy way to designing something and to avoid the
improper use of colors.

References
http://www.ehow.com/about_6658499_meaning-color-japanese-culture_.html
http://www.tjf.or.jp/eng/content/japaneseculture/12iro.htm
http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/cultural-color.html
http://www.three-musketeers.net/mike/colors.html
http://www.amberco.ca/blog_130411.htm

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