"Likewise, Taka is initially associated with very dark tones," Dickson continues. "Taka is a subtle, complex character, a woman whose husband has been killed in battle by the man she is currently nursing back to health. We began with a very rich, dark palette for her, in costumes as plain as possible. As the story progresses, Taka’s colors lighten as she begins to blossom and change with Captain Algren’s influence. Of course, the clothes of that time were very restrictive so her wardrobe can never be very vivid; the progression is subtle."
Dickson found a wealth of resources in Japan and, appropriately, much of the wardrobe was made there. "We found that going to the local markets was worthwhile because what tourists buy there wasn’t at all what we were looking for and we got a very warm response from the vendors," she recalls. "They couldn’t believe what we were buying! We found a lot of original fabrics still on rolls. Although they were fragile and old they provided another blueprint. Interestingly, the 1930s style of kimono dressing in Japan had similarities to the Meiji period, so we were able to rework some of that material as well. All our lead costumes were made in Japan. I designed them, then they went to Japan to be fabric-swatched and hand-sewn, which is the traditional way of making kimonos, haori [the half-jacket worn over a man’s kimono] and hakama [pleated loose-fitting trousers]."
Through amazing good fortune, Dickson encountered two people in Japan who became an important part of the wardrobe team and "who helped keep us honest," she says. "Akira Fukuda, a very well regarded costumer in Japan who worked with Akira Kurosawa, joined our department, and we consulted with Munehisa Sengoku, the master of court costume and custom to the Imperial family in Japan. If the Imperial costumes in the film seem authentic, it is because of the depth of knowledge of these two men."
Senguko even volunteered to have his school, the Takakura School, Institute of Court Culture, make two costumes for a key scene in the film: one for the Emperor Meiji, on which he and Dickson collaborated since it would not have been a garment the emperor would ever have worn publicly, and one for Katsumoto, made to Dickson’s design. The Emperor himself was subject to specific guidelines regarding his wardrobe, whether formal or casual, and so the manner of his dress could indicate at a glance the nature or tone of a particular meeting. In this scene, he receives Katsumoto in a white silk kimono and red hakama, a casual garment which suggests the level of intimacy that exists between these two men regardless of their current differences.
Acknowledging the chrysanthemum as a symbol of the Emperor’s family, Dickson also made sure that that a chrysanthemum emblem ornamented the sleeves of the otherwise utilitarian uniforms of the Emperor’s Royal Guard.
As a Civil War veteran, Algren is introduced wearing the Union’s blue uniform. Dickson also made a long, chocolate-brown suede coat for him with a distinctive Western feel, reflecting his days on the American Indian Campaign. The coat, though not lightweight, was supple and roomy enough to move with his body when a scene called for him to fight.
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