The red pigment used to paint the walls of the hanamachi geisha districts was called bengara, from the iron oxide brought from Bengara, India.
As you can see in this photo taken at Sumiya, in Shimabara, Kyoto, it is a beautiful color, but it was also good at protecting the wood against weather, and at it is also believed to be effective against moths.
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Yesterday’s Japan Photo:Float of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri |
