Japanese Ukiyo-e Color Psychology & Meaning
Ukiyo-e color is the flat, printed palette of Edo woodblocks — vermilion, indigo, and skin-tone cream. It signals the floating world: pleasure, craft, and fleeting beauty.
#C94C3D
#2E6B8A
#E8C39A
#1E1E1E
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Japanese Ukiyo-e Color Palette
#C94C3D · #2E6B8A · #E8C39A · #1E1E1E
Fail
WCAG Grade
3.6:1
Contrast Ratio
220
Saves
680
AI Copies
Use #C94C3D as the background. Use #2E6B8A as the primary accent. Use #E8C39A as secondary. Use #1E1E1E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Japanese Ukiyo-e — artistic, classic, bold.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Japanese Ukiyo-e color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).
| Swatch | Design Role | HEX | RGB | CMYK | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background Luminance: 17.9% | 201, 76, 61 | 0%, 62%, 70%, 21% | 6°, 56%, 51% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 12.9% | 46, 107, 138 | 67%, 22%, 0%, 46% | 200°, 50%, 36% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 58.5% | 232, 195, 154 | 0%, 16%, 34%, 9% | 32°, 63%, 76% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.3% | 30, 30, 30 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 88% | 0°, 0%, 12% |
Japanese Ukiyo-e Tints & Shades
Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Japanese Ukiyo-e palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#C94C3D gently saturated red
#2E6B8A gently saturated cyan-blue
#E8C39A gently saturated orange
#1E1E1E neutral gray
Japanese Ukiyo-e Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)
Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.
| Text on Background | Preview | Ratio | Grade | Safe For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1E1E1E on #E8C39A |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.09:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E8C39A on #1E1E1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.09:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1E1E1E on #C94C3D |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.64:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #C94C3D on #1E1E1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.64:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #E8C39A on #2E6B8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.54:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #2E6B8A on #E8C39A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.54:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #1E1E1E on #2E6B8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.85:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2E6B8A on #1E1E1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.85:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E8C39A on #C94C3D |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.77:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C94C3D on #E8C39A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.77:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2E6B8A on #C94C3D |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.28:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C94C3D on #2E6B8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.28:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Split-Complementary Scheme
The Japanese Ukiyo-e palette is built using a split-complementary relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A split-complementary palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Ukiyo-e prints flourished from the 17th to 19th centuries, and their flat color fields and indigo blues later inspired Western Impressionism and modern graphic design.
Best Design Use Cases
Vermilion for the focal elements and seals. Indigo for water, sky, and depth. Cream for skin and paper. Near-black for outlines. Suits Japanese heritage, editorial, and print-inspired design.
Industries This Palette Suits
Art, Japanese culture, editorial, museums, print design.
Colors That Pair Well With Japanese Ukiyo-e
Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.
orange
directly opposite #2E6B8A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
blue
30° beside #2E6B8A — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
tinted neutral
a ink-black carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Japanese Ukiyo-e Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #2E6B8A for small UI elements on #C94C3D — at 1.3:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #1E1E1E on #C94C3D — 3.6:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #E8C39A behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Japanese Ukiyo-e Color Scheme
To use this Japanese Ukiyo-e color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.
Option 1: CSS Variables
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Web Design Tip
Use #C94C3D for the main background and #2E6B8A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #1E1E1E and #C94C3D is 3.64:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Japanese Ukiyo-e Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Japanese Ukiyo-e color palette?
The Japanese Ukiyo-e palette contains #C94C3D, #2E6B8A, #E8C39A, #1E1E1E. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.
Is the Japanese Ukiyo-e color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #1E1E1E on #E8C39A reaches 10.1:1 (AAA). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.
What colors go well with the Japanese Ukiyo-e palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #8A4C2E, #374381, #171212 extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.
What mood does the Japanese Ukiyo-e palette create?
Japanese Ukiyo-e reads as artistic, classic, bold. Gently saturated cyan-blue drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated red — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Japanese Ukiyo-e color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Japanese Ukiyo-e palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
How do I add the Japanese Ukiyo-e palette to Tailwind or CSS?
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Japanese Ukiyo-e's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.