matplotlib · story645 · Dec 19, 2025 · Dec 7, 2025 · Dec 7, 2025 · Dec 10, 2025
diff --git a/doc/release/next_whats_new/okabe_ito_colormap.rst b/doc/release/next_whats_new/okabe_ito_colormap.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+Okabe-Ito accessible color sequence
+-----------------------------------
+
+Matplotlib now includes the `Okabe-Ito color sequence`_. Its colors remain distinguishable for common forms of color-vision deficiency and when printed.
+
+.. _Okabe-Ito color sequence: https://jfly.uni-koeln.de/color/#pallet
+
+For example, to set it as the default colormap for your plots and image-like artists, use:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+    from cycler import cycler
+
+    plt.rcParams['axes.prop_cycle'] = cycler('color', plt.colormaps['okabe_ito'].colors)
+    plt.rcParams['image.cmap'] = 'okabe_ito'
+
+Or, when creating plots, you can pass it explicitly:
+
+.. plot::
+
+    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+
+    colors = plt.colormaps['okabe_ito'].colors
+    x = range(5)
+    for i, c in enumerate(colors):
+        plt.plot(x, [v*(i+1) for v in x], color=c, label=f'line {i}')
+    plt.legend()
+    plt.show()
diff --git a/galleries/examples/color/color_sequences.py b/galleries/examples/color/color_sequences.py
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ def plot_color_sequences(names, ax):
 
 built_in_color_sequences = [
     'tab10', 'tab20', 'tab20b', 'tab20c', 'Pastel1', 'Pastel2', 'Paired',
-    'Accent', 'Dark2', 'Set1', 'Set2', 'Set3', 'petroff6', 'petroff8',
-    'petroff10']
+    'Accent', 'okabe_ito', 'Dark2', 'Set1', 'Set2', 'Set3', 'petroff6',
+    'petroff8', 'petroff10']
 
 
 fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(6.4, 9.6), layout='constrained')

diff --git a/galleries/examples/color/colormap_reference.py b/galleries/examples/color/colormap_reference.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
             'berlin', 'managua', 'vanimo']),
          ('Cyclic', ['twilight', 'twilight_shifted', 'hsv']),
          ('Qualitative', [
-            'Pastel1', 'Pastel2', 'Paired', 'Accent',
+            'Pastel1', 'Pastel2', 'Paired', 'Accent', 'okabe_ito',
             'Dark2', 'Set1', 'Set2', 'Set3',
             'tab10', 'tab20', 'tab20b', 'tab20c']),
          ('Miscellaneous', [

diff --git a/galleries/users_explain/colors/colormaps.py b/galleries/users_explain/colors/colormaps.py
@@ -230,9 +230,9 @@ def plot_color_gradients(category, cmap_list):
 # These would not be good options for use as perceptual colormaps.
 
 plot_color_gradients('Qualitative',
-                     ['Pastel1', 'Pastel2', 'Paired', 'Accent', 'Dark2',
-                      'Set1', 'Set2', 'Set3', 'tab10', 'tab20', 'tab20b',
-                      'tab20c'])
+                     ['Pastel1', 'Pastel2', 'Paired', 'Accent', 'okabe_ito',
+                      'Dark2', 'Set1', 'Set2', 'Set3', 'tab10', 'tab20',
+                      'tab20b', 'tab20c'])
 
 # %%
 # Miscellaneous

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/_cm.py b/lib/matplotlib/_cm.py
@@ -852,7 +852,6 @@ def _g36(x): return 2 * x - 1
     (0.50196078431372548, 0.0                 , 0.14901960784313725)
     )
 
-
 # ColorBrewer's qualitative maps, implemented using ListedColormap
 # for use with mpl.colors.NoNorm
 
@@ -878,6 +877,22 @@ def _g36(x): return 2 * x - 1
     (0.4,                 0.4,                 0.4                ),
     )
 
+# Okabe-Ito accessible and print-friendly color palette.
+# By Masataka Okabe (Jikei Medical School) and Kei Ito (University of Tokyo).
+# Qualitative color palette that is unambiguous regardless of whether
+# the viewer has colorblindness. https://jfly.uni-koeln.de/color/#pallet
+
+_okabe_ito_data = (
+    (0.0, 0.0, 0.0),                                                # black
+    (0.9019607843137255, 0.6235294117647059, 0.0),                  # e69f00
+    (0.33725490196078434, 0.7058823529411765, 0.9137254901960784),  # 56b4e9
+    (0.0, 0.6196078431372549, 0.45098039215686275),                 # 009e73
+    (0.9411764705882353, 0.8941176470588236, 0.25882352941176473),  # f0e442
+    (0.0, 0.4470588235294118, 0.6980392156862745),                  # 0072b2
+    (0.8352941176470589, 0.3686274509803922, 0.0),                  # d55e00
+    (0.8, 0.4745098039215686, 0.6549019607843137),                  # cc79a7
+)
+
 _Paired_data = (
     (0.65098039215686276, 0.80784313725490198, 0.8901960784313725 ),
     (0.12156862745098039, 0.47058823529411764, 0.70588235294117652),
@@ -1469,6 +1484,7 @@ def _gist_yarg(x): return 1 - x
     'winter': _winter_data,
     # Qualitative
     'Accent': {'listed': _Accent_data},
+    'okabe_ito': {'listed': _okabe_ito_data},
     'Dark2': {'listed': _Dark2_data},
     'Paired': {'listed': _Paired_data},
     'Pastel1': {'listed': _Pastel1_data},

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/cm.pyi b/lib/matplotlib/cm.pyi
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ terrain: colors.Colormap
 winter: colors.Colormap
 Accent: colors.Colormap
 Dark2: colors.Colormap
+okabe_ito: colors.Colormap
 Paired: colors.Colormap
 Pastel1: colors.Colormap
 Pastel2: colors.Colormap
@@ -188,6 +189,7 @@ terrain_r: colors.Colormap
 winter_r: colors.Colormap
 Accent_r: colors.Colormap
 Dark2_r: colors.Colormap
+okabe_ito_r: colors.Colormap
 Paired_r: colors.Colormap
 Pastel1_r: colors.Colormap
 Pastel2_r: colors.Colormap

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/colors.py b/lib/matplotlib/colors.py
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ class ColorSequenceRegistry(Mapping):
         'Pastel2': _cm._Pastel2_data,
         'Paired': _cm._Paired_data,
         'Accent': _cm._Accent_data,
+        'okabe_ito': _cm._okabe_ito_data,
         'Dark2': _cm._Dark2_data,
         'Set1': _cm._Set1_data,
         'Set2': _cm._Set2_data,

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_colors.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_colors.py
@@ -1702,8 +1702,8 @@ def test_color_sequences():
     assert plt.color_sequences is matplotlib.color_sequences  # same registry
     assert list(plt.color_sequences) == [
         'tab10', 'tab20', 'tab20b', 'tab20c', 'Pastel1', 'Pastel2', 'Paired',
-        'Accent', 'Dark2', 'Set1', 'Set2', 'Set3', 'petroff6', 'petroff8',
-        'petroff10']
+        'Accent', 'okabe_ito', 'Dark2', 'Set1', 'Set2', 'Set3', 'petroff6',
+        'petroff8', 'petroff10']
     assert len(plt.color_sequences['tab10']) == 10
     assert len(plt.color_sequences['tab20']) == 20