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“Benibana” 紅花 (literally red flower) is an annual plant which blooms during the summer months in beautiful shades of yellow and red. The delicate flower has played an important part in the economic wealth of Japan for centuries. Its value was said to be “100 times that of rice, 10 times that of gold.”
Its strong red pigment was used as a dyeing colour for textiles and in particular to create gorgeous Nishijin silk fabrics for kimonos. Geisha from Kyoto would also paint their lips with Benibana.