[Explanation of a color]

The Nezumi-iro, is the color name that points to a dark gray, and gray system in general, such as the color of the hair of the rat. Color name that was born through the Edo period from the Muromachi late. “Sunezumi” “Omeshinezu” is the same color, in ancient times was called as “Nibi-iro” and “Usuzumi”.

The Edo medium term sometimes shogunate banned the flashy colors such as “Beni-iro”, people will be interested in so the color of low saturation. Nezumi-iro in such is the “chic” color with “Cha-iro” and “Ai-iro”, various derivative color for each change of Bimyo tones in the late Edo period was born. Trees, such as cherry and willow, nature, such as such as historical figures, such as “Sen no Rikyu” and “Ono no Komachi”. Spread the image by combining with various things, is a large epidemic was of the “Shijuhacha Hyakunezu”.

Dye of gray is oak, oak, chestnut, a variety, such as oak, those were all brewed was dyed with iron mordant. In the Edo background that late in a variety of “Nezumi-iro” became popular, there are also aspects of these dyes was easy to get.

Is also known as “Ha-iro” in an alias, but strictly speaking is a different color, it may be a “Hai-iro” dare Nezumi-iro that contains only a little bright yellowish if draw a distinction.

-read:Azuki-iro-