Characters
Osho Kichisa
Denkichi’s son and Otose’s brother. He served in a temple as a monk (osho), giving him his nickname.
Ojo Kichisa
Kidnapped at age 5 and sold to traveling actors, who raised him as a girl. He becomes a cross-dressing thief and is thus called Ojo (female) Kichisa. He is in reality Kyubei’s son.
Obo Kichisa
Being the son of a samurai, his nickname is Obo (well-bred son). His father was forced to commit ritual suicide after losing a famous sword, and the household was disbanded. This drove Obo to become a thief.
Denkichi
Father of Osho and twins Otose and Juzaburo. He seeks to accumulate good karma by picking up dead bodies floating onto the riverbank in the Inose River and praying for their souls.
Otose
Denkichi’s daughter. She is unaware that she has a twin brother Juzaburo. Twins were considered bad luck and often abandoned, but Denkichi raised the girl, thinking he would make money off her later.
Juzaburo
Works for utensil shop as sales clerk. Born as a twin but abandoned as bad luck, and rescued by Kyubei, whose own son had been kidnapped. Later falls in love with Otose, not realizing that she is his sister.
Kyubei
Vegetable shop owner. His son was kidnapped at age 5, but in his depressed state found an abandoned baby named Juzaburo at a temple and raised him instead.
