color

i am finding that colors that are common in the west in women's clothing are frequently quite uncommon in japan. perhaps the symbology of colors is more important in some cultures than in others.








in japan, for example, a guest must not wear purple or white to a wedding. purple is the color which fades the most quickly, and white, in most eastern countries, is associated with death.

black, also, is often associated with death and mourning, black with red might be acceptable, but not black with white as this is a funeral combination. interesting that death and purity are combined in so many cultures.

in japan, the spirits are usually dressed in white, signifying the white burial kimono used in edo period funeral rituals. in shinto, white is a color of ritual purity, traditionally reserved for priests and the dead.1

you will see very few black or white kimono on women. they are somewhat more common for men. colors in the purple and blue ranges are also less common than those of the red-yellow-orange.

other than a wedding guest not wearing white (or perhaps black?) i don't know of much credence lent to the colors we wear in the west. do you?