As a cool color, blue evokes feelings of calm, nobility, coolness, and tranquility. It is highly suitable for use in a variety of items, from everyday to celebratory.

Blue is featured prominently across Japanese art; for example, in Katsushika Hokusai's The Great Wave of Kanagawa. Shades like mizu iro, "pale aqua," has been used frequently for summer kimonos since the Edo period (1603 CE - 1868 CE), while kon, "navy blue," conveys a sense of calm and sophistication and has been widely used in daily life. Finally, sometsuke refers to blue and white ceramics, a classic color pairing that is always in style. Explore these and more beautiful blues below.