The softest pink, near-white blossom, pale green of new leaves, and clear sky blue — the palette of a Japanese tradition of watching cherry blossoms fall.
Hanami — literally flower viewing — is the Japanese practice of gathering beneath cherry trees during their brief flowering, typically one to two weeks in late March or April. The practice is over a thousand years old, originally a court ritual and now a nationwide celebration in which families, friends, and colleagues spread picnic blankets under the trees and sit beneath the falling petals. The palette is extraordinarily delicate: the pale pink of the blossoms, ranging from near-white to a soft rose depending on the variety, against the clear blue of a spring sky. The green of the first leaves just beginning to emerge. The beauty of Hanami is inseparable from its brevity — the blossoms fall within days, and the palette disappears with them.
#cda2ab
RGB(205, 162, 171) · hsl(347, 30%, 72%)
A muted red: very light, considered, and steady.
The Delicate Bloom round Lavishing →#eccbda
RGB(236, 203, 218) · hsl(332, 46%, 86%)
This very light pink sits at the moderate end of its family.
Shimmery Candle throughout the Glinting →#ceeabe
RGB(206, 234, 190) · hsl(97, 51%, 83%)
A very light, moderate green with a quiet presence.
When Graceful Aurora beside Caressing →#d3dee9
RGB(211, 222, 233) · hsl(209, 33%, 87%)
This very light blue sits at the muted end of its family.
What the Breath Inside Refracted Whirling →#d0aeb8
RGB(208, 174, 184) · hsl(343, 27%, 75%)
A muted pink: very light, considered, and steady.
When the Ambrosial Air on Rising →:root { --hanami-1: #cda2ab; --hanami-2: #eccbda; --hanami-3: #ceeabe; --hanami-4: #d3dee9; --hanami-5: #d0aeb8;}