Sebastien Rodrigues
Father Rodrigues is the protagonist of the story. He is a Portuguese Catholic missionary who travels to Japan to be a priest for the Japanese Christians and discover the truth about his former mentor, Father…
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Francisco Garrpe
Father Garrpe, a Portuguese missionary priest, accompanies Rodrigues to Japan in order to be a priest for Japanese Christians and find out what happen to Father Ferreira, their former mentor. Garrpe hides with Rodrigues…
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Christovao Ferreira / Sawano Chuan
Father Ferreira is a former Portuguese missionary priest who led the Christian movement for 20 years in Japan before the harsh persecution of Christians began in the country. Although once a revered member of the…
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Kichijiro
Kichijiro is the first Japanese person who Rodrigues and Garrpe meet. He is characterized as a drunk, a coward, and a repeat apostate. Although Kichijiro tries to deny his Christianity when he meets the…
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Inoue
Inoue is the antagonist of the story, the Japanese magistrate over Nagasaki, and the “architect of Christian persecution.” Although Rodrigues hears of Inoue long before meeting him and expects him to be evil incarnate, Inoue…
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The Interpreter
The interpreter appears several times throughout Rodrigues’s arrest and imprisonment, translating for the priest when his Japanese fails him. The interpreter, like Inoue, was baptized a Christian and even studied in a seminary…
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Mokichi
Mokichi is a young man, one of the few named Christians in Tomogi, the first village Rodrigues and Garrpe visit. When Japanese officials descend on Tomogi and demand volunteers to be cross-examined, Mokichi volunteers. During…
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Ichizo
Ichizo is an older man, the brother of Omatsu, who is one of the few named Christians in Tomogi, the first village Rodrigues and Garrpe see. When Japanese officials descend on Tomogi and demand…
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The One-Eyed Man
The one-eyed man is a Japanese Christian whom Rodrigues meets, along with Monica, after he is arrested. The one-eyed man is placed in the same prison as Rodrigues. One afternoon, after refusing to apostatize…
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Valignano
Valignano is a Superior of the Church whom Rodrigues and Garrpe meet in China. Valignano is the overseer of the missionaries in Japan, all of whom have either been expelled or killed, and thus initially…
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Minor Characters
Monica
Monica (her baptized name) is a Japanese Christian whom Rodrigues meets immediately after he is betrayed by Kichijiro. Monica is placed in the same prison as Rodrigues, but is only there for a few days before she is killed and thrown in the sea after Garrpe refuses to apostatize.
Juan de Santa Marta
Juan de Santa Marta is a Portuguese priest who travels with Rodrigues and Garrpe to China and intended to go with them to Japan as well, but he is struck with malaria and forced to remain behind.
Omatsu
Omatsu is a Japanese Christian from Tomogi and Ichizo’s elder sister. She is forced to watch Ichizo slowly die for being a Christian.
