permitted color (for courtiers' clothing)
Historical term referring to colors that were officially allowed for courtiers' garments in the Japanese imperial court, as opposed to forbidden colors (禁色).
See also: 禁色
In the Heian period, permitted colors and forbidden colors were strictly distinguished.
Standard kanji spelling for this historical term.
Alternate kanji spelling; rarely used.
Compound of 許し (yurushi, 'permission') and 色 (iro, 'color'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is associated with Heian-period sumptuary regulations.