Characters
Note: In Japan, as through most of East Asia, tradition places the family name before the given name. For example, in Kano Murasaki, Risuko’s proper name, Kano is her family’s name and Murasaki her given name — what English speakers would call her first name.
Historical figures are marked with an asterisk (*).
Risuko — Proper name: Kano Murasaki. Called “Squirrel” and “Bright Eyes.” Junior initiate
Mochizuki Chiyome* — Mistress of the Full Moon
Mieko — Lady Chiyome’s maid. Kunoichi teacher; miko dance master
Kuniko — Lady Chiyome’s maid. Kunoichi (deceased)
Tarugu Toumi — Called “Falcon.” Junior initiate
Hanichi Emi — Called “Smiley.” Junior initiate
Aimaru — Called “Moon-cake” and “Moon-face.” Servant
Little Brothers — Servants
Takeda Masugu — Takeda cavalry lieutenant
Mai — Called “Foxy.” Senior initiate.
Shino — Senior initiate
Kee Sun — Cook (Korean)
Sachi — called “Flower.” Kunoichi espionage teacher; miko music master
Hoshi — called “Horsey.” Kunoichi sword teacher; miko calligraphy master
Mitsuke — Kunoichi strength and archery teacher; miko etiquette master
Rin — Kunoichi garrote teacher
Suzume — Kunoichi
Aoki — Kunoichi
Fuyudori — called “Ghostie.” Former senior initiate (deceased)
Takeda Shingen* — Lord of the Takeda clan of Worth (Kai) Province. Called “The Mountain” and “The Tiger of Kai.” Allied with the Oda and the Matsudaira
Baba Nobufusa* — Takeda captain
Hara Masatane* — Takeda captain
Torimasa Noritada — Takeda Lieutenant
Itagaki Harashubo — Takeda Lieutenant
Yukishiro — Takeda guard
Sato — Takeda guard
Kotoku — Takeda guard
Tadashi — Takeda guard
Torai — Takeda cook; called “Shorty”
Matsudaira Motoyasu* — Lord of the Matsudaira clan of Three Rivers (Mikawa) Province
Tokugawa Tokimatsu — Matsudaira captain
Matsudaira Ietada* — Matsudaira captain
Hattori Hanzō* — Matsudaira captain
Sakai Tadashige — — Matsudaira lieutenant
Kobayashi — Matsudaira guard
Aosagi — Matsudaira guard
Kumo — Matsudaira cook; called “Fatso”
Okā-san — Risuko’s mother; proper name: Kano Chojo
Usako — Risuko’s sister; proper name: Kano Daini
Otō-san — Risuko’s father, former samurai, turned scribe; proper name: Kano Kazuo (believed deceased)
Junkeishō — Buddhist monk
Father Francisco — Jesuit priest traveling with Matsudaira (Portuguese)
João Afonso Alves de Sousa de Mandrágora — Novice traveling with Matsudaira; called “Jolalo” (Portuguese)
Oda Nobunaga* — Most powerful lord (daimyo) of Japan, controlling the capital in Kyōto and the military government headed by the warlord (shōgun). Head of the Oda clan of Rising Tail (Owari) Province. Allied with the Takeda and the Matsudaira.
Imagawa Ujizane* — Head of the Imagawa clan, former lord of Serenity (Tōtōmi) Province
Uesugi Kenshin* — Lord of the Uesugi clan of Crossover (Echigo) Province
Hōjō Ujimasa* — Lord of the Hōjō clan of Armory (Musashi) Province
Ashikaga Yoshiaka* — Hereditary warlord (shōgun) of Japan. For all intents and purposes Oda Nobunaga’s puppet since Oda-sama took contol of the capital.
