Kaidan

A respected Edo-based teacher who runs a girls' school and becomes consumed by love for Shinkichi. Her tenderness turns to jealousy as she fears losing him, and a wound she sustains precipitates a gradual decline into illness. Her death triggers a vengeful haunting that drives the plot toward tragedy.

A young man who begins a clandestine relationship with Toyoshiga and later chooses a life of flight and desperation. His flirtations with students reveal a lack of restraint, and his decisions—led by fear and desire—lead to a cascade of violence and tragedy. He ultimately marries Orui under pressure from appearances and fate.

A young tobacco vendor who becomes Shinkichi's lover and escapes town with him, seeking a future together. She embodies hopeful, genuine affection but falls victim to the jealous trauma surrounding Toyoshiga's curse. Her death marks a turning point in the story's tragedy.

Daughter of a wealthy family who becomes Shinkichi's intended wife after a dramatic chain of events. She bears a pale, scarred brow child and shows unsettling traits, foreshadowing a lineage touched by the previous generation's turmoil. Her marriage links wealth and fate to the family's continuing burdens.

Shinkichi's uncle who plays guardian-like roles and navigates the family’s tangled affairs after his sister's death. His presence anchors the plot in familial loyalty and the responsibilities of kinship within a rigid social order.

A samurai whose actions catalyze the central tragedy, including the initial murder that starts the chain of vengeance. His legacy shapes the characters' motives and the fragile balance of trust within Edo's world.