Choosing Keeping's own take on this traditional Japanese art material, each set in this retro collection is inspired by colours of a decade past: 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, each has its own appeal. Put together they are the perfect set for a gift.

Included is a blank letterpress swatch card featuring each individual colour name to be painted in for colour referencing. This can come in handy as appearances can be deceiving and each colour is only revealed once wet and set to paper!

We recommend the Aquarella (off-white) and Aquarello (white) for the perfect paper pairing.

Length: 12.5cm

Width: 10.5cm

Depth: 10.2cm

Weight: 768g

Material: Gansai watercolour paints, plastic, cardboard, paper 

Included: 7 palettes each with 8 colours in chiyogami paper presentation box and 7 blank letterpress swatch cards which can be painted in for colour reference. 

Vegetarian/Vegan: No (contains gelatine glue binder)

Non-toxic

Made in Japan

1920’s set:

63 - Paaru Daidai - Pearlescent orange

75 - Rumi-Roozu - Luminous rose

58 - Seikin - Blue-gold

29 - Koubai - Japanese Apricot - also known as Japanese plum, this colour is named after much beloved subject matter for painting and poetry in East Asia. 

61 - Touou - Often translated to gamboge, a pigment made from tapping resin, this Japanese equivalent was once made from yellow grass flowers of the same name and first appears in texts referenced since the Nara period 710 - 794AD

221 - Tokiwa-iro - Evergreen; this colour in traditional Japanese refers to the longevity and unchanging nature of evergreen leaves, seen as good luck in Edo period Japan. 

155 - Joushu - Upper vermillion 

127 - Aokusa - Grass green 

1930’s set:

211 - Aketsuchi - Earthy crimson 

42 - Kurocha - Black tea 

36 - Kin-oudoiro - Golden ochre 

44 - Gunroku - Mixed green - traditionally this pigment is made of a mixture of azurite and malachite. 

19 - Kawagane - Iron skin; when a Japanese sword is made the more flexible interior metal, shingane, is coated in far stronger metal coating - kawagane. 

38 - Kodai-murasaki - Ancient purple - due to the cost of the pigment, purple was traditionally associated with wealth in Japan and ordinary people were not permitted to wear it. 

22 - Kogecha - Charred tea

34 - Hadairo - flesh 

1940’s set:

213 - Komugi-iro - Wheat

220 - Ruri-iro - Lapis lazuli blue 

54 - Aaraishu - Washed vermillon 

139 - Honai - True indigo

9 - Youkou - Carmine

35 - Seidou - This deep green usually translates to mean ‘bronze’ but also shares its name with ‘shrine’; picture the aged bronze statues of a Japanese temple. 

41 - Botan - Peony

51 - Komidori - Deep green

1950’s set:

32 - Kikusa - This literally translates to ‘yellow grass’ despite being very much green. 

37 - Senkouhi - Fresh bright crimson 

205 - Tanryoku - Light green

222 - Aoi-iro - Named after the light purple mallow flower, traditionally used in Japanese medicines. 

203 - Kurogin-iro - Black-silver

207 - Sakura-iro - Cherry blossom - named after the much beloved sakura season in Japan. 

224 - Jinkou-cha - Argarwood tea, named after the specialised wood that is commonly used in perfumes and incense. 

7 - Gunjou - Ultramarine - in the west this colour, meaning across the sea, refers to the rare lapis that was used to make the pigment. Whilst commonly translated to this colour, Gunjou refers to the pigment made from crushed azurite, not lapis. 

1960’s set:

43 - Sango-iro - Coral

48 - Azuki-Cha - Literally translating to mean ‘Azuki bean tea’, this reddish brown pays homage to the Azuki bean which is ever popular in Japanese cooking. 

26 - Ugoisucha-midori - Olive brown or nightingale tea green? The Japanese are good competition for the Brits when it comes to their love of tea, apparent in their colour naming!

47 - Hatoba - Usually translated to mean blue-black in the context of colour, but literally translating to ‘pigeon wing’, this bold pink references the lighter parts of pigeon feathers. 

33 - Yoneki - ‘American timber’ which is a sandy yellow tone.

35 - Fuji-murasaki - A deep, royal purple named after the spectacular Japanese Wisteria. 

59 - Akagane - Copper or, more literally, red-gold 

46 - Sora-iro - Sky Blue

1970’s set: 

17 - Asagi - A blue green that shares its name with an ancient breed of Koi which is characterised by striking blue scales. 

57 - Kouhaku - Yellow-white

23 - Gin-nezu - Light grey; literally ‘silver mouse’

204 - Mizu-iro - Light blue; literally ‘water colour’ 

2 - Oudo - Ochre; perhaps the oldest pigment, found globally in prehistoric cave paintings - synthetic alternatives to the natural pigment are more frequently used today, as in this instance. 

219 - Rikyuu-Nezumi - In translation this colour combines ‘dark green’ and ‘mouse’ but in practice it is far lighter than such a name suggests.

40 - Natane-iro - Rapeseed 

1 - Enji - Shortened from enjimushi which is the Japanese name for the insect from which the deep red dye carmine is derived. A synthetic alternative is used today.

1980’s set:

201 - Akebono-iro - This light pink literally translates to ‘daybreak colour’: Picture the lightest and subtlest shades in the clouds at dawn. 

216 - Zouge-iro - Ivory

21 - Byakugun - Light blue; in Japanese this colour traditionally describes the pigment made from crushed azurite.  

208 - Amairo - Flax 

76 - Rumi-Orenji - Luminous Orange 

225 - Bara - Rose

202 - Nadeshiko-iro - This pink is named after the family of flowers we call ‘pinks’ rather than the colour itself: Dianthus. 

223 - Kuchiba - This dark brown literally means ‘decayed leaves’ but more commonly translates to the English colour russet brown.

These Japanese artist watercolours are made from a blend of natural minerals, plant gums, and approved artist pigments to produce rich, vibrant colour that’s safe and non-toxic. They contain no heavy metals such as lead or cadmium and are classed as non-hazardous under UK safety regulations. The paints are odourless, water-soluble, and suitable for adult artistic use only. Avoid eating, drinking, or smoking while painting, and wash hands after use. If paint gets in your eyes, rinse well with clean water; if swallowed, rinse your mouth and seek advice if unwell. Store in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and keep out of reach of children and pets. Allow rinse water to settle before disposal and throw away the dried residue responsibly, rather than pouring coloured water straight down the drain. These paints are safe to handle, transport, and use when used as intended for art and creative work.

Calcium carbonate, kaolin, gum arabic, starch sugar, glycerin, water, colour pigments.