Cast of Characters

THE AMERICANS

Ace Bledsoe of Pennsylvania, an abolitionist minstrel and director of the minstrel show

Ned Clark, a minstrel

Commodore Matthew Perry, commander of the United States East-India Fleet

THE JAPANESE

(Family names first, if they have them. Names in italics are as they often appear in the story.)

Okubo Einosuke, eldest living son of Lord Okubo and his representative in Edo (Tokyo)

Okubo Manjiro, Einosuke’s brother, youngest son of Lord Okubo and English interpreter for the Shogunate

Okubo Fumiko, Einosuke’s wife and ward of Lord Tokungawa Nariaki of Mito

Okubo Keiko, elder daughter of Einosuke and Fumiko

Okubo Masako, younger daughter of Einosuke and Fumiko

Okubo Junichiro, infant son of Einosuke and Fumiko

O-bata, nurse to Junichiro and servant to the Okubo family

Tsune, Fumiko’s younger sister and ward of Lord Tokungawa Nariaki of Mito

Lord Okubo of Odawara, leader of his clan, father of Einosuke and Manjiro

Lord Abe, leader of the Great Council, chief negotiator with Commodore Perry

Ueno, Lord Abe’s aide and enemy of the Okubo family

Lord Tokugawa Nariaki of Mito, a “collateral” lord of great influence,

Lord Abe’s nemisis. No one from a “collateral” clan may ascend to the position of Shogun.

Tokugawa Keiki, Lord Tokugawa’s seventeen-year-old son, loyal friend of Tsune, and, after the story ends, Japan’s last Shogun

Kyuzo, a famous samurai in Lord Tokugawa’s employ

Ichiro, a young samurai who comes under the influence of Kyuzo

Numbers 75 and III, two members of Ueno’s ronin samurai army, hired by lottery

Momo and Manzo, cleaners of toilets