Blue
藍色
Ai-iro
Indigo
The deep blue of Japanese indigo dye — often called 'Japan Blue' by Meiji-era visitors.
Color codes
HEX
#165E83
COPIEDRGB
rgb(22, 94, 131)
COPIEDHSL
hsl(200, 71%, 30%)
COPIEDCMYK
cmyk(83, 28, 0, 49)
COPIEDOrigin
Indigo (tade-ai) dyeing was refined over centuries; by the Edo period nearly all working-class clothing was indigo-dyed for its durability and insect-repelling properties. The English nickname 'Japan Blue' spread through Meiji-era Western chemists and travel writers — often associated with the British chemist Robert William Atkinson, who described the ubiquity of indigo in 1878.
Where you'll see it
Denim, workwear, noren, traditional crafts, contemporary streetwear.
Contrast & accessibility
Calculating contrast against black and white…
Harmony palette
Computed from the color wheel — base, analogous (±30°), complementary, and triad. Click any swatch to copy.
Tip: analogous colors read as calm; complementary and triad add contrast for calls-to-action.