red (color, color)

A bright red color dyed with safflower, it is used as a dye for lipstick and costumes. In the past, safflower dye was also called "indigo," meaning that it was a dye introduced from the country of Wu in China. The name "suetsumibana" also arose from the fact that good quality dyeing could be obtained by frequently picking the outer parts of the flowers at the beginning of blooming. During the Heian period (794-1185), it was considered a noble color that was expensive and difficult to obtain, and was forbidden.