Jewel Beetle Color

Jewel Beetle Color derives its name from the jewel beetle (tamamushi). The wing sheaths of this insect display a mesmerizing iridescence, shifting between gold, green, and purple depending on the angle of light. The Tamamushi Shrine at Horyu-ji Temple, from the Asuka period, is decorated with these actual wing sheaths, making it the oldest surviving artifact bearing this color.

During the Nara period, Jewel Beetle Color was treasured as a solemn decorative color for Buddhist settings. The Shosoin Repository still houses ritual objects like nyoi scepters decorated with jewel beetle wings. The Manyoshu includes a poem describing it as 'an indescribable color,' capturing its elusive, mysterious charm.

In the Heian period, Jewel Beetle Color appeared in aristocratic clothing. The historical tale 'Eiga Monogatari' records that during a Buddhist ceremony held by Fujiwara no Michinaga, court ladies wore layered robes in Jewel Beetle Color. As they moved, the color shifted like a rainbow, an aesthetic that was both luxurious and elegant, characteristic of the Heian court.

From the Kamakura period onward, as natural beetle wings became rare, artisans began simulating the effect using gold and silver leaf with pigments. The Muromachi period's gold brocade weaving used gold and silver warp threads with colored silk wefts to create an iridescent Jewel Beetle Color sheen.

In the Edo period, Jewel Beetle Color became a fashionable trend. Kabuki actors' costumes, courtesans' hair ornaments, and lacquerware painting all celebrated Jewel Beetle Color in popular culture. In Kitagawa Utamaro's bijin-ga, a Jewel Beetle Color obi sash is often the most eye-catching detail.