One-off Kurosawa Hat Question

[mccaskem at georgetown.edu]

Since we got into the area of clothing with respect to film, it seems an 
appropriate time to ask about Kurosawa's trademark hat. I've always wondered.

It's sold today as the "Kurosawa Marine Cap"

http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/ishiihat/91b.html

But it is somewhat reminiscent of a pre-war Japanese Naval Officer's Cap

http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/ishiihat/m-400.html

I once attempted some research on the subject, and it seemed that, according to 
Japanese sources, perhaps this kind of Japanese cap was originally modeled after 
a cap that Prince Heinrich (brother of Wilhelm II) wore in a famous yacht race 
against King Edward VII. That seems arcane to me.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prinz-Heinrich-Muetze.jpg

This does not appear much different from a Greek fisherman's cap, which seems 
quite different from the Kurosawa Model.

If someone knows the origin of the Kurosawa Hat, it would be great to find out 
what it really was. Was this a common cap in the old days? One does not see 
anyone wearing this kind of cap these days, though apparently you can still buy 
and wear one if you really wish to.

Many Thanks,

Michael McCaskey
GU