Make sure to have a look at the Gallery and see what players have created for their own costumes, and from here you should get a good idea for inspiration.

This guide only covers clothing and not weapons. Most LARP weapons will be suitable for Jade Throne, but if you aren't sure feel free to check with Game Team.

Example kit for a Shishi courtier

With this base kit, let's say you have decided to join the Shishi clan as a courtier. From reading the Clans page, you know that Shishi wear opulent golds, yellows, and browns, with rich earth tones in reds and ochres, and that their symbol is the Lion. You also know as a courtier that you need a fan to use in Court.

• You could get a gold, yellow or brown haori (an open jacket, resembling a kimono) to highlight the colours of your clan. For the purpose of this example, we'll buy a brown haori from eBay at £23.99.

• On Amazon and on specialist martial arts websites, you can find reasonably priced Hakama (Kendo / Aikido tie top trousers) and Kendogi (Kendo shirts). For this example, we have found a shirt and trouser set for £59.99 on Amazon. When wearing the shirt, make sure to wear it left panel over the right as only the dead wear it the other way.

• A sash belt around the waist would help tie the outfit together. This can be as simple as a scarf bought from a charity shop, but for this example we're buying a yellow pashmina scarf for £6.99 on Amazon. 

• For £3.99 you can get a fan and holder from Amazon as well. 

Example kit for a Hinotori shindōshi

On the Clans page, Hinotori wear wear the colours of fire: incandescent yellows, dazzling oranges, and bright reds, with flashes of metallic gold and silver. Their symbol is the phoenix. 

Rather than rely on Amazon, this time we're going to look at vintage sellers who usually have a good stock of kimonos and build from there.

There are several UK sellers on Etsy, and players who have bought from there before can recommend specific shops. Some markets, especially in Birmingham, also have some vintage kimonos available. Don't forget to check local theatre sales, you never know what you may find there!

• For this example, we have found a kimono on Japan Craft for £50. When wearing the kimono, make sure to fold it closed left panel over right, as only the dead wear it the other way around.

• A traditional formal obi is incredibly stiff, which from a practical point of view can make playing the game difficult. Look for an informal obi, a hanhaba, which is softer and easier to tie. One such way to tie a hanhaba can be found on this website. 

• Some kit makers have been making custom obi that have a velcro fastening at the back to make it as LARP friendly as possible. For this example, we found an obi from Fuji Kimono for £20. 

• Whilst writing this, a glorious shiny yellow-gold haori is available on Fuji Kimono! Its pricey at £95, but still in budget. 

• As a shindōshi, we need a scroll case to show off the school. You could go for something as simple as a scroll tube from Darkblade for £28. However, most shindōshi in the game have either made their own custom scroll cases, or commissioned others to make them.

Kit under £250

Example kit for a Kani bushi

On the Clans page, you can learn that Kani wear dark blue and grey with red and orange highlights. They tend towards a simple, militaristic appearance, and care little for the opinion of others.

Whilst armour is not a requirement for a bushi, it always helps. Samurai armour tends to be quite expensive, so keep an eye out on second hand groups for armour at a discount as most of your budget is likely to go on it. Check in with LARP makers as well, to see what they can offer you within your budget - even some custom bracers and greaves can help complete a look.

Medieval style armour is not suitable for Jade Throne, however some chainmail looks have been successfully incorporated into bushi kit. Make sure to look at the Gallery for more inspiration. 

Otherwise, bushi costume can be quite simple compared to the more flashy looks of courtiers or shindōshi, especially when you're starting out.

• Like the courtier, we are also going to use the Kendo shirt and trouser set for £59.99 on Amazon. This time, we are going for the navy shirt and hakama. Remember, left panel worn over right!

• For £125 from Ninth Circle, we're buying the cheapest chest armour piece Pro Series Do - Defender. Alongside this, we're coupling it with a simple pair of leather vambraces for £12 from Darkblade. Please note that you would need to add leg armour such as greaves or tassets, or a helmet, in order to gain the bonus for armour in game.

• To complete the look, we found a £40 dark blue Haori to wear over the top on Etsy.

• Finally, bushi are required to carry a wakisashi (short sword) in court as the symbol of their school - however, a basic dagger will suffice. If you have no LARP weapons, get in touch with your clan to see if you can borrow one and other weapons from them.

Kit to avoid

There are a lot of cheap ready to wear cosplays and "-style" clothes out there that are not suitable for the game. Their cheapness may be attractive, but the quality and what they represent is not. For example, "kimono-style" satin dressing gowns are dressing gowns, not a kimono and therefore not appropriate.