The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of traditional blue color between Korean and Japanese traditional costumes. Korea and Japan as the neighboring country of geographically and historically, but showed obvious difference in traditional color. In this study we investigated the blue color characteristics that appear on Korean and Japanese traditional costumes. We researched the characteristics of blue color on color names and color tones through the old Korean and Japanese literatures, costume remains and restoration dyeing fabrics. This study researched the Chosun Period in Korea and Edo Period in Japan. The results of this study Were as following; Many differentiation colors appeared in Chosun and Edo period than former ages. These differentiation colors were made giving differences gradually in basic color, hue, value and chroma. The blue color names appeared 40 names in Chosun Period and 57 names in Edo Period. In these blue color names of Chosun and Edo Period, the common color name was not more 'indigo'. The most highly appearanced blue color hues of costume remains in Chosun and restoration dyeing fabrics in Edo Period were blue and purplish blue. The most highly appearanced blue color tones were dull and moderate. By result of preceding descriptions, the characteristics of national color were not come from difference of dye and dyeing method, could know that come from difference of society and cultural environment.
