also: べんがら
noun
red iron oxide; red ocher
A reddish-brown pigment traditionally used in Japanese crafts, pottery, and building materials. The name derives from Bengal, where it was originally imported.
See also: ベンガラ
紅殻は、日本の伝統的な建築物の塗料として使われてきた。
Red iron oxide has been used as a pigment for traditional Japanese buildings.
The red color of this pottery comes from red ocher.
Same substance; ベンガラ is the katakana form often used in technical or commercial settings, while 紅殻 is the kanji form.
From 紅 (べに, 'crimson') + 殻 (がら, 'husk' or 'shell'), but the reading べにがら is a phonetic adaptation of 'Bengal', the region from which the pigment was originally imported.