Kafka is a fifteen-year-old boy from Tokyo who flees his home to escape a dark prophecy spoken by his violent father. He renames himself Kafka and focuses on becoming physically and mentally strong enough to survive on his own. He seeks refuge in a private library in Takamatsu, guided by an inner voice and forces he does not fully understand.

Satoru Nakata is a polite elderly man living in Tokyo on a government disability subsidy. As a child during World War II, he was the victim of a mysterious mass coma on Rice Bowl Hill that wiped his memory and intellect clean. Though he cannot read or write, the accident left him with the unique ability to communicate with cats.

Oshima is the intelligent, highly educated young man who runs the reception desk at the library. He is a transgender gay man with a rare form of hemophilia. He takes a quick liking to Kafka, offering him employment, a place to stay, and engaging philosophical discussions.

Miss Saeki is the enigmatic and beautiful director of the library where Kafka seeks refuge. In her youth, she was a successful singer who recorded a hit song before a sudden personal tragedy caused her to withdraw from public life. She spends much of her time writing in her office.

Hoshino is a young, energetic truck driver in his mid-twenties. He impulsively gives Nakata a ride while hitchhiking, finding that the old man reminds him of his beloved late grandfather. This chance encounter pulls him into a strange journey across Japan.

Johnnie Walker is a mysterious, sinister figure who dresses exactly like the icon on the British Scotch whiskey brand. He lures neighborhood cats to a vacant lot, collecting their souls to build a dark, bureaucratic instrument.

Koichi Tamura is Kafka's father, a famous sculptor living in Tokyo. His art frequently explores the human subconscious and labyrinths. He is a harsh, brutal man who alienates his son with terrible prophecies.

The Boy Named Crow acts as an imaginary guide and alter-ego for Kafka. He appears both as a voice in Kafka's head and occasionally in physical form as a bird. He provides advice, questions Kafka's choices, and acts as a tough but encouraging older brother figure.

Sakura is a young hairdresser who befriends Kafka during his bus journey. Having once been a runaway herself, she recognizes Kafka's situation and offers him practical help, her phone number, and a safe place to rest.

Colonel Sanders is an otherworldly, non-corporeal entity taking the form of the famous fast-food icon. He acts as a colorful, profane guide for Hoshino, claiming to be neither god nor Buddha but possessing extensive local knowledge.

Setsuko is a young schoolteacher during World War II. She leads her class of sixteen students on a mushroom-gathering trip up Rice Bowl Hill, where the children suffer a sudden mass coma.

Dr. Nakazawa is the town doctor who is summoned to rescue and examine the unconscious children on Rice Bowl Hill in 1944.

Dr. Tsukayama is a professor of psychiatry ordered by the Japanese military to investigate the children affected by the Rice Bowl Hill incident, theorizing it to be mass hypnosis.

Sada is Oshima's older brother, an avid surfer who shares access to the family's remote mountain cabin. He understands the dangers of nature and recognizes a similar awareness in Kafka.

Otsuka is an elderly black tomcat who discusses the weather and feline philosophy with Nakata. He advises the old man to look for the lost half of his shadow.

Goma is a young, sheltered tortoiseshell cat whose disappearance prompts Nakata to search the neighborhood, setting his larger journey in motion.

Kawamura is a neighborhood street cat whose communication is somewhat jumbled, making it difficult for Nakata to understand his warnings about the vacant lot.

Mimi is a sophisticated, intelligent Siamese housecat who helps Nakata understand the dangers lurking in the local vacant lot, specifically warning him about a tall man stealing cats.

Okawa is a street-smart neighborhood cat who tries to convince Nakata to abandon his search for Goma, knowing that terrible things happen in the lot.

Toro is a black and white cat who communicates with Hoshino late in the story, offering crucial advice on how to handle a supernatural threat.