Gunjo

Japanese Gunjo (Ultramarine) originates from Chinese Azurite Blue, introduced along with Buddhist painting during the Nara period. Initially entirely dependent on importing azurite ore from China, its price was extremely high. With the flourishing of Buddhism in the Heian period, Gunjo was heavily used in Buddhist painting, becoming the color representing the solemn realm of the Buddha in temples.

In the mid-Edo period, azurite ore was discovered in Shikoku and the Tohoku region of Japan, allowing Gunjo pigment to be domestically produced. Ukiyo-e landscape masters Hokusai and Hiroshige used Gunjo to depict Mount Fuji and night skies; the thick, dense blue created a strong sense of depth and mystery in their works.

During the Meiji era, Gunjo played a key role in the modernization of Nihonga (Japanese-style painting). Artists like Taikan Yokoyama and Shunso Hishida explored the 'Moro-tai' (hazy style) painting method, applying layers of Gunjo washes to express air and light, creating an Oriental beauty of blue that Western painting could not replicate.

In the classification of Japanese pigments, Gunjo belongs to 'Iwa-enogu' (mineral pigments), made by grinding and grading natural minerals. The particle size determines the color depth: coarse gives deep, turbid tones; fine gives shallow, bright tones. Nihonga painters choose different grades of Gunjo according to the picture's needs; a complete set of Gunjo pigment can have up to a dozen gradations.

In modern Nihonga and anime, Gunjo is the premier choice for depicting night skies and deep seas. Kaii Higashiyama's 'Evening Cherry Blossoms' uses a Gunjo night backdrop to set off the white of the night cherry blossoms; in Makoto Shinkai's animations, the Gunjo night sky carries countless longings. Gunjo has elevated from a traditional pigment to Japan's emotional backdrop.