桃染(ももそめ)とは？：伝統色のいろは

桃染（ももそめ）とは？｜Momosome｜#EFA6AA

桃染Momosome

色の名前Japan Color Name	桃染（ももそめ）
ローマ字Romanized	Momosome
RGB	R:239 G:166 B:170
CMYK	C:07 M:46 Y:24 K:00
Web カラーHex triplet

色の説明

桃染（ももそめ）とは、桃の花のような明るく淡い紅色のことです。白鳳時代（はくほうじだい）に見られる古代の色名で、『つきそめ』『つき』とも読まれます。『桃花褐（あらぞめ）』『桃花染（つきそめ）』とも書かれ、現代の『桃色』にあたる色です。

「日本書紀」の天智天皇六年（六六七）の条に「緋廿四匹（にじゅうよんひき）・紺布廿四端（にじゅうよんたん）・桃染布五十八端」と記されており、『桃染』は『緋』『紺』と並ぶ極めて古い色名でした。
※ 匹：布地二反を数える単位。端：布の長さの単位。反に同じ。

なお、「延喜縫殿式（えんぎぬいどのしき）」には「末額（まっこう）は桃染布衫（ひとえ）」との記述があり、下級の役人（末額）が着る色として位置づけられていたことがわかります。
また、同じく「延喜縫殿式」には『退紅（あらそめ）』と同色と記載されていますが、紅花の使用量から推測すると、厳密には『退紅』のほうが少し淡い色であったと考えられます。

『桃染』のような「桃」を冠する色名は、平安時代の襲（かさね）の色目（いろめ）に見られる色を除いて、次第に姿を消していきます。
同系に『退紅』『薄紅』『浅紅』といった淡い紅系統の色名が複数あったことや、「桃」といっても紅花で染められるということも、色名として定着しにくかった一因でしょう。

なお、「桃」を冠する色が再び一般的な色名として登場するのは、室町末期の『桃色』まで待たなければなりません。

江戸時代の有職故実（ゆうそくこじつ）「装束色彙（しょうぞくしょくい）」（一七七八）では、『桃染』は桃の花の色のことで『浅紅』『桃色』と同じ色として整理されています。江戸時代になると染色技術の進化により色数が大きく増え、「桃」を冠する色も複数登場しましたが、『桃色』の登場により『桃染』は一般的な色ではなくなってしまいました。
※1：「装束色彙」江戸中期に書かれた有職故実の書籍

現在でも『桃染』の名はほとんど使われませんが、その色は『桃色』として私たちの身近に残っています。『桃染』は、名称こそ変わりましたが、はるか古代より日本に伝わる確かな色といえるでしょう。

-読み：ももそめ-

[Explanation of a color]

Momozome refers to a bright, pale crimson color reminiscent of peach blossoms. It is an ancient color name that appears from the Hakuhō period, and was also read as tsukisome or simply tsuki. The color was written using various forms such as Tōka-arazome and Tōka-tsukisome, and corresponds closely to what is known today as momoiro (peach pink).

In the Nihon Shoki, in the entry for the sixth year of Emperor Tenji (667), the following record appears:
“24 pieces of hi, 24 lengths of indigo cloth, and 58 lengths of momozome cloth.”
From this, it is clear that momozome was already recognized as a color name from a very early period, alongside established colors such as hi and kon.

According to the Engi Nuidono-shiki, the phrase “makkō wa momozome nuno-hitoe” indicates that garments dyed in momozome were assigned to lower-ranking officials (makkō). This shows that momozome was positioned as a color worn by those of lower status. The same source also records momozome as being the same color as arazome (faded crimson). However, when considering the quantities of safflower dye specified in the Engi-shiki, it is likely that arazome was, strictly speaking, slightly paler in tone.

Color names containing the character “peach” (momo)—such as momozome—gradually fell out of use, with the exception of those found in the layered color combinations (kasane no irome) of the Heian period. One reason for this decline may be the emergence of several more widely used pale red color names of similar hue, such as arazome, usubeni (light crimson), and asagi-beni. In addition, although the name suggests peaches, the color itself was dyed with safflower rather than peach blossoms, and this disconnect may also have made the name less stable and less likely to take hold.

Colors bearing the name “peach” did not reappear as common color names until the late Muromachi period, when momoiro came into use.

In the Edo-period work on court costume and ceremonial practice, Shōzoku Shokui (1778), momozome is described as the color of peach blossoms and is organized as being equivalent to asagi-beni and momoiro. As dyeing techniques advanced during the Edo period, the number of recognized colors increased significantly, and several colors associated with peaches emerged. With the establishment of momoiro as a general color name, however, momozome ceased to be widely used.

Today, the name momozome is rarely encountered, yet the color itself continues to exist under the name momoiro. Though the name has changed, momozome can be regarded as a color that has been transmitted through Japanese history from ancient times to the present.

-read: Kaidou-iro-