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, a pale aqua that literally means "water color," have been used frequently for summer kimonos since the Edo period (1603 CE–1868 CE). Meanwhile kon, or navy blue, conveys a sense of calm and sophistication and has historically 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.