The Tokyo Traveler

Tokyo - A Rainbow of Colors

by Shane on August 27th, 2008

If you were asked to pick a color associated with Tokyo, what color would that be? I think the first colors that come to mind for most people would be red and black but the city offers a veritable rainbow, or niji, of colors to her visitors. Let’s explore the colors of Tokyo…

Aka (Red) is the color of the circle representing the sun on the Hinomaru, the flag of Japan, and is considered good luck. The Kaminarimon Gate in Asakusa and many of the shrines around Tokyo are painted in this deep crimson color.Kiiro (Yellow) is the color of the Ginko biloba leaves in the fall. Better know for their green color, the Ginko biloba leaf is one of the symbols of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Midori (Green) can be found in the parks and gardens that are pockets of natural beauty amidst the modern architecture and noise of this bustling city. Sakurairo (Pale Pink) is the color of spring in Tokyo and the color of the cherry blossoms that bloom each year. There are so many other colors that Tokyo has to offer, there is the blue and white of the traditional pottery and fabrics, the white and silver that is ever present on the modern architectural wonders that grace the Tokyo skyline, and the black sumi ink that artists use to create renderings of the kanji and Japanese poetry that are gorgeous in their simplicity.

Lastly, covering the whole spectrum of color is the aptly named Rainbow Bridge in the Odaiba area of Tokyo.

Come explore the rainbow of colors that Tokyo has to offer, you won’t be disappointed!

Image Credits: Flickr, Kaminarimon, Japanese style garden #2, 銀杏並木, Cherry Blossom at night & Rainbow Bridge

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