Over 100 Gansai Sets for Postcards, Haiku, and Calligraphy
Gansai are traditional Japanese solid watercolor paints made from pigments, known for their gentle, refined colors that are kind to both people and nature.
We carry a wide range of gansai sets, including 12-, 24-, 36-, and 48-color palettes, as well as individual colors for single purchase.
From beginners to experienced artists, please explore our extensive selection.
Add Traditional Japanese Colors and Enjoy Easy Painting
Gansai are solid paints made by combining pigments with a binder, allowing you to paint simply with water and a brush.
In traditional Nihonga (Japanese painting), mineral pigments require preparation with animal glue, but gansai eliminate this step, letting you begin painting immediately.
Lightly moisten the surface with a wet brush to release color, then adjust tone freely from soft washes to rich, deep hues.
While similar to Western watercolors, gansai use traditional Japanese color sensibilities, creating calm yet vivid expressions.
For beginners, 12- or 24-color sets are recommended, as they include essential colors without the need for complex selection.
For frequent use of a single color, “Teppachi” gansai—larger amounts in ceramic dishes—are ideal.
Gansai are perfect for haiku, shikishi boards, New Year’s cards, postcards, illustrated letters, and more. Enjoy the beauty of Japanese colors in everyday creative moments.
How Are Gansai Different from Watercolors?
Gansai use animal glue as a binder, while Western watercolors use gum arabic.
This difference gives gansai moderate water resistance and excellent layering ability, allowing you to build vivid colors without disturbing lower layers.
Watercolors tend to re-dissolve easily, making strong saturation harder to achieve.
If you are curious about Japanese-style painting, gansai offer an accessible and rewarding introduction.
Safe for People and Nature: “Yamato no Irodori” Gansai
The binder used in “Yamato no Irodori” gansai is based on natural starch.
Free from heavy metals, these pigments are designed to be gentle on skin and environmentally friendly.
They are also resistant to color bleeding during mounting, making them suitable for finished works.
For安心 and quality, “Yamato no Irodori” is highly recommended.
Gansai ColumnGansai Colum
What Are Gansai?
Solid Watercolors Activated with Water
Gansai are solid watercolor paints that release color when activated with a wet brush.
By adjusting the amount of water, you can easily control tone from light to dark.
They are ideal for those who want to enjoy gentle, elegant color expression with minimal preparation.
“Teppachi” refers to gansai supplied in larger ceramic dishes, recommended for frequent use.
After use, the dishes can also serve as convenient mixing palettes.
How to Use Gansai
① Prepare clean water and a brush, and fully moisten the brush.
※ If using a new or stiff brush, soak and gently loosen the hairs before use.
② Glide the wet brush over the gansai surface to dissolve color.
※ To avoid color contamination, use separate brushes when activating different colors.
③ Transfer the color to a mixing dish (toki-zara or ume-zara) and adjust concentration with water.
※ Always mix colors in the dish, not directly on the gansai pan.
④ Test the color on scrap paper before painting.
⑤ Apply to your artwork once the desired tone is achieved.
⑥ After use, clean brushes and dishes, and allow the gansai to dry completely before storage.
With just water, a brush, and gansai, you can easily enjoy Japanese-style painting anywhere—even outdoors on a pleasant day.
