Mark: I like that.
The Shiro has the very white look I mentioned. Not the same creamy white like on many fine Kohaku, but a more translucent white. And, that's a male. I think we would expect a shade more yellow in the head tones of most male Kohaku that size. The Maruyama website has not been updated for over a year, but it shows nisai females even more pure white. Perhaps it is the opposite of what I was suggesting ... rather than the Shiro making the red seem brighter, perhaps it is the Kagura Beni that makes the white seem cleaner.