Pine Needle Color

Deep green like pine needles, enduring and evergreen

HEX#3C5A3A

RGBrgb(60, 90, 58)

HSLhsl(116, 22%, 29%)

HSVhsv(116, 36%, 35%)

CMYKcmyk(33%, 0%, 36%, 65%)

HEXA#3C5A3AFF

RGBArgba(60, 90, 58, 1)

HSLAhsla(116, 22%, 29%, 1)

OKLCHoklch(67.8%, 0.052, 143)

LCHlch(63.2%, 22.4, 158)

🎨 Color Palettes

Analogous2-3 adjacent hues (≤60°)

Triadic3 hues spaced 120° apart

Split ComplementaryMain color + colors adjacent to its complement

Complementary2 hues spaced 180° apart

Tetradic (Rectangle)4 hues forming a rectangle

MonochromaticSingle hue with varying saturation and lightness

♿ WCAG Contrast Colors

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Aa14px Body

High Contrast Text

#F0F5EFRatio 7:1AAA

Suitable for body text, headings, and primary content, ensuring readability for all users

Aa14px Body

Standard Text

#B1CDBDRatio 4.5:1AA

Suitable for regular body content, meeting WCAG AA standards

Aa14px Body

Large Text / UI Components

#79A9A6Ratio 3:1AA Large

Suitable for large text (≥18px bold or ≥24px), icons, UI component boundaries

Aa14px Body

Decorative / Dividers

#7C7FABRatio 2:1Fail

Suitable for decorative elements, dividers, non-essential text

📊 Color Scales

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Lightness VariationFixed hue and saturation, stepwise lightness adjustment ±30%

#151F14

#273B26

#3C5A3A

#50794E

#659861

#83AD7F

Saturation VariationFixed hue and lightness, stepwise saturation adjustment ±30%

#445143

#425341

#3C5A3A

#356232

#2F692B

#297023

Lightness + Saturation Mixed VariationSimultaneous lightness and saturation adjustment

#212C21

#2C3B2B

#3B5639

#477444

#51944C

#5CB356

Hue Fine-TuningFixed saturation and lightness, stepwise hue fine-tuning ±15°

#445A3A

#415A3A

#3F5A3A

#3C5A3A

#3A5A3A

#3A5A3D

#3A5A40

💡 Use Cases

🏯

High-End Restaurant Decor

High-end ryotei restaurants use Matsuba-iro for noren curtains and walls to create an atmosphere of composed elegance, immediately immersing guests in quality and solemnity.

👘

Formal Kimono

Kimono for elders and formal occasions adopt Matsuba-iro, conveying a sense of dignity and life experience.

🎭

Kabuki

Matsuba-iro costumes for samurai roles in kabuki symbolize loyalty and resilience of character.

🍶

Sake Packaging

High-grade sake like junmai daiginjo uses Matsuba-iro bottles or labels to convey the time-value of traditional brewing.

📜 Origin & History

Matsuba-iro (Pine Needle Color) is directly sampled from the color of pine needles. In Japan, the pine tree is revered as 'tokiwagi'—the eternally green tree. Matsuba-iro thus carries symbolic meanings of eternity and longevity.

In the Heian period, Matsuba-iro already appeared in aristocratic clothing. Its deep, solemn tone was often used in the hunting robes of elder nobles and warriors, conveying dignity and life experience.

During the Edo period, Matsuba-iro became widely popular in commoner culture. In kabuki costumes and ukiyo-e prints, Matsuba-iro was used to portray the resilience of samurai and the steadiness of townsmen.

In Japanese gardens, the pine tree is an indispensable protagonist. The unchanging presence of Matsuba-iro across four seasons injects a sense of constancy that transcends the flow of time into the dry landscape garden.

In contemporary Japanese design, Matsuba-iro is used to express tradition and quality. The noren curtains and interiors of high-end Japanese restaurants often use this color, conveying a sense of time-tested refinement.

🧠 Color Psychology

EternalLike the pine tree evergreen through four seasons, Matsuba-iro is a color that transcends time, offering a psychological promise of stability and reliability.

SolemnThe deep dark green inherently possesses a sense of ritual and solemnity, suitable for occasions requiring respect and earnestness.

RestrainedMatsuba-iro does not assert itself or clamor for attention, embodying the restraint and introversion of Japanese culture, the power of silence.

DignifiedDark tones naturally carry a sense of authority; Matsuba-iro evokes respect for experience and wisdom, a color of elders.

FortitudeThe pine tree stands proud in wind and snow; Matsuba-iro symbolizes an indomitable spirit of fortitude.

ReassuringThe stable, unchanging Matsuba-iro provides psychological security, like an anchor that gives the heart something to rely on.

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