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Quick answer
Kuretake Gansai Tambi is a Japanese watercolor in large solid pans, made by Kuretake. The 48-color set (MC20/48V), released July 10, 2019, measures 235 × 295 × 17 mm, weighs 596 g and includes an A5 color chart. Kuretake says the paints dissolve quickly and look opaque thick, transparent thin.
On this page10 sections
The Gansai Tambi 48-color set, its tray of pans and the color chart (1 mm = 0.75 px).
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Notes on these facts
Made by Kuretake Co., Ltd. (Japan). Made in Japan: Kuretake's Japanese order site lists 原産国 (country of origin) 日本 (Japan) for the 48-color set (MC20/48V), and also for the 12, 18 and 24-color sets. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Kuretake's release date for the 48-color set; the Gansai Tambi line and its 36-color set are older.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
Kuretake lists the 48-color set at 235 × 17 × 295 mm and 596 g, with a list price of ¥9,570 (about US$61) with tax in Japan.
Regular sets come with 12, 18, 24, 36 or 48 colors; the 48 added 12 new colors to the 36 on July 10, 2019.
The 48-color set comes with an A5 (148 × 210 mm) color chart; Kuretake lists the paint as pigment and resin, with the ACMI AP seal.
Single replacement pans (MC21) list at ¥210 (about US$1.30) before tax in Japan for most colors.
Kuretake's Japanese order site lists Japan as the country of origin for every Gansai Tambi set.
What is Kuretake Gansai Tambi?
It’s a line of gansai, Japanese solid paints that you wet and paint with like watercolor, from Kuretake, a maker of sumi ink and brush pens. Kuretake says it developed Gansai Tambi from enthusiasts’ feedback, with many colors suited to Japanese landscapes.
Kuretake recommends using most colors straight from the pan rather than mixing, for the brightest color. It says the paint is popular abroad as well as in Japan, for illustrated letters (etegami), sketching, illustration, lettering and cards.
What makes gansai different from regular watercolor?
Kuretake says Gansai Tambi dissolves quickly, bleeds cleanly, and changes character with the amount of water: thick for opaque, bold color, thin for pale washes. It credits the clean bleeding to more than 100 years of making sumi ink.
The pans are larger than typical watercolor pans, Kuretake’s US listing notes, so both small and large brushes fit. Each pan works as its own palette: Kuretake points out that once you add water, there’s nothing to squeeze out of a tube.
Gansai Tambi 48-color set specs
Spec
Gansai Tambi 48-color set
Model
MC20/48V (JAN 4901427305227)
Released
July 10, 2019
Colors
48: the 36-color set plus 12 new colors
Size
235 × 17 × 295 mm (9.3 × 0.7 × 11.6 in)
Weight
596 g (1.3 lb)
Materials
Paint: pigment and resin; pans: polystyrene; cover: PET
Included
Color-name sheet in the box, A5 color-sample sheet
Safety
ACMI AP seal
Japan list price
¥8,700 (about US$55) before tax; ¥9,570 (about US$61) with tax
Made in
Japan
All figures come from Kuretake’s Japanese order site and its July 2019 release note.
Which Gansai Tambi set should you buy?
The 24 is a good first set; the 48 is the most popular and adds 12 more colors. Kuretake’s figures for the regular sets:
Set
Model
Box size
Weight
Japan list price (before tax)
12 colors
MC20/12V
107 × 17 × 220 mm
175 g
¥2,100 (about US$13)
18 colors
MC20/18V
153 × 17 × 220 mm
244 g
¥3,100 (about US$20)
24 colors
MC20/24V
201 × 17 × 220 mm
330 g
¥4,100 (about US$26)
36 colors
MC20/36V
not listed
not listed
¥6,500 (about US$41)
48 colors
MC20/48V
235 × 17 × 295 mm
596 g
¥8,700 (about US$55)
The 12, 18 and 24-color boxes share one width; the 48 is a larger, taller box.
Kuretake also makes small special-effect sets of 5 or 6 colors: pearl, gem, starry, opal, graphite and granulating colors. Single pans (MC21) list at ¥210 (about US$1.30) before tax for most colors, so you can replace the ones you use up.
How does Gansai Tambi compare with Koi and brush pens?
Gansai Tambi has the biggest pans and the most opaque color; Koi is the portable kit.
To paint gansai on the go, add a water brush such as the Pentel Aquash. On paper, heavier sheets such as an Arches watercolor block take washes without buckling. To try other brands’ colors before buying tubes, Daniel Smith Dot Cards put 266 watercolors on five cards.
How much does the Gansai Tambi 48 set cost?
It falls in our $$$ band ($20–75), near the top. Amazon’s 18 and 24-color listings were also in the $$$ band on October 21, 2026.
On October 21, 2026, Amazon’s 48-color listing showed 4.8 stars from 3,731 ratings, a 163rd-place rank in Art Paints, and 400+ bought in the past month.
Where is Gansai Tambi made?
In Japan: Kuretake’s Japanese order site gives 原産国 (country of origin) 日本 for the 12, 18, 24 and 48-color sets. US Amazon listings also say “Made in Japan” in their titles.
Frequently asked questions
What is gansai?
Gansai (顔彩) is a Japanese solid paint that you dissolve with water, traditionally used for Japanese-style painting and illustrated letters. Kuretake's Gansai Tambi line is a modern gansai sold in large individual pans.
Is Gansai Tambi watercolor?
It's used like watercolor. Kuretake says that dissolved thickly it looks opaque and bold, and with more water it gives pale, watercolor-like washes.
How big is the Gansai Tambi 48-color set?
Kuretake lists it at 235 × 17 × 295 mm (9.3 × 0.7 × 11.6 in) and 596 g. The 24-color set is 201 × 17 × 220 mm and 330 g.
What comes in the 48-color set?
48 pans of paint, a sheet in the bottom of the box naming each color, and an A5 color-sample sheet to swatch yourself, Kuretake says. The US listing adds that a protective sheet over the pans doubles as a mixing palette.
Are Gansai Tambi paints non-toxic?
Kuretake says they carry the AP seal from the Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) and meet international safety standards.
Can you buy single Gansai Tambi colors?
Yes. Kuretake sells single pans (model MC21 plus a color number), listed in Japan at ¥210 (about US$1.30) before tax for most colors.
Does Gansai Tambi come with a water brush?
No. Kuretake's sets don't include a water brush, so add your own; for painting on the go, a water brush such as the Pentel Aquash pairs well with them.
