Characters
Shiragikumaru
A child monk-in-training with whom Seigen has fallen in love. He and Seigen attempt joint suicide, but only he is successful.
Princess Sakura
The daughter of the Yoshida family. Her left hand has been closed into a fist since birth, a serious handicap for someone of her rank. The loss of a precious family scroll casts a deep shadow over her household, prompting her to consider becoming a nun. Before she can do so, she is raped and impregnated, but in an obsession with the villain, ends up marrying him. She is sold by the husband to a brothel, but returns when a ghost comes to haunt her, driving away her customers.
Seigen
A high-ranking priest at Kamakura’s Hase Temple. He is convinced that Sakura is the reincarnation of his beloved boy love and pursues her fanatically. Even after his murder, his ghost continues to chase her.
Tsurigane Gonsuke
A villain with the nickname Tsurigane (temple bell) from the tattoo on his upper arm. He is a friend of Sakura’s former fiancé. He marries the princess but sells her to a brothel. He turns out to be a thief named Shinobu no Sota, who stole a treasured scroll from the Yoshida family and murdered Sakura’s father and younger brother.
Zangetsu
A junior monk at Hase Temple and an acolyte of Seigen. He had hoped to take over Seigen’s position, but was ejected from the temple because of adultery with Nagaura. He now lives a humble life with Nagaura in a small village.
Nagaura
A former servant to Prince Sakura driven out of the Yoshida family after the revelation of her adultery with Zangetsu.
Iruma Akugoro
Sakura’s former fiancé. He teams up with Gonsuke in an attempt to take over the Yoshida family. He abandons the marriage because of Sakura’s deformed hand but is still taken with her.
Matsui Gengo
A servant of the Yoshida family. He is part of the conspiracy with Akugoro to take over the household.
Ariake no Sentaro
Disguised as a fireman, he is in reality a loyal servant to the Yoshida family named Awazu no Shichiro. After the termination of the Yoshida household, he lives among commoners while devoting himself to finding the lost scroll and reviving the household.
Katsushika no Oju
Sentaro’s wife and the daughter of a Yoshida family servant. She is sent to a brothel as a substitute when Sakura proves a failure.
Matsuwakamaru
Sakura’s younger brother and twin of Umewakamaru.
