BLADE OF THE SAMURAI

Cast of Characters

(In Alphabetical Order)

Where present, Japanese characters’ surnames precede their given names, in the Japanese style. Western surnames follow the characters’ given names, in accordance with Western convention.

Ana – Father Mateo’s housekeeper

Ashikaga Saburo – a cousin of the shogun, and a supervisor in the shogunate’s records office

Ashikaga Yoshiteru* – the shogun of Japan

Den – a stable boy; Masao’s assistant

Father Gaspar Vilela* – The senior Jesuit, and head of the Portuguese mission, in Kyoto

Father Mateo Ávila de Santos – a Christian priest from Portugal, currently working in Kyoto

Gato – Hiro’s cat

Ginjiro – a sake brewer; owner of Ginjiro’s brewery

Goro – a carpenter

Hattori Hiro – a shinobi (ninja) assassin from the Iga ryu, hired by an anonymous benefactor to guard Father Mateo

Ichiro – Saburo’s son

Izumo – a Japanese acolyte, and Christian convert, who works for the main Jesuit mission in Kyoto

Jun – a maid at the shogunate

Kazu – a shinobi from the Iga ryu, working undercover as a clerk at the shogunate

Luis Álvares – a Portuguese merchant whose weapon sales finance Father Mateo’s work

Magistrate Ishimaki – a judge appointed to oversee justice in Kyoto

Masao – the shogun’s stable master

Matsunaga Hisahide* – a samurai ambassador working on behalf of the Miyoshi clan.

Mayuri – a retired entertainer; owner of the Sakura Teahouse

Miyoshi Akira – nephew of the Miyoshi daimyo (lord), sent to work in Kyoto as an associate of Matsunaga Hisahide.

Netsuko – Saburo’s wife

Oda Nobunaga* — a samurai warlord

Ozuru – a master carpenter, currently working in the shogun’s palace

Suke – a Buddhist monk who frequents Ginjiro’s brewery

Tomiko – Ginjiro’s adult daughter

* Denotes a real historical figure, though all characters are fictionalized for purposes of this novel.