also: かついろ
noun
dark indigo; deep blue-black
A traditional Japanese color name for a very dark indigo, almost black. Often used in historical or artistic contexts.
江戸時代の武士の裃には、褐色がよく使われた。
Dark indigo was often used for samurai kamishimo in the Edo period.
この染物は、何度も藍で染めて褐色に仕上げている。
This dyed fabric has been repeatedly indigo-dyed to achieve a deep blue-black.
The reading かちいろ is thought to derive from 搗ち (kachi), meaning 'to pound' or 'to beat', referring to the process of repeatedly beating the fabric during indigo dyeing to achieve the deep color. The kanji 褐 originally meant 'brown' in Chinese, but in Japanese it was used for this dark indigo shade.