Kabuo is a quiet, reserved Japanese American fisherman and World War II veteran currently on trial for the murder of his fellow fisherman, Carl Heine. Raised with traditional Japanese values, including kendo martial arts, he is deeply committed to his family's honor and reclaiming a seven-acre strawberry farm his father once owned.

Hatsue is the daughter of Japanese immigrants and the loyal wife of Kabuo Miyamoto. Having spent her adolescence in Amity Harbor before being forced into the Manzanar concentration camp during World War II, she is steadfastly dedicated to her family and Japanese heritage.

Ishmael is the local newspaper reporter for the San Piedro Review, a position he took over from his respected father after returning from World War II. He lost his left arm in combat and harbors deep, lingering feelings for his adolescent love, Hatsue, whom he lost when she was sent to a concentration camp.

Carl is a quiet, hardworking fisherman and World War II veteran whose tragic death sparks the central murder trial of the novel. Before becoming a fisherman, he grew up on a local strawberry farm, and his complex history with the Japanese American community, and Kabuo in particular, becomes the focal point of the investigation.

Arthur is Ishmael's late father and the founder of the island's only newspaper. He is remembered as a highly principled, well-respected man who maintained his integrity and publicly supported his Japanese American neighbors during the height of wartime paranoia.

Etta is Carl Heine's mother, an immigrant from Bavaria who never cared for the strawberry farming life. She is a rigid, prejudiced woman who sold her late husband's farm to a third party rather than honor an unwritten agreement with the Miyamoto family, fueling a long-standing land dispute.

Susan Marie is the widowed wife of Carl Heine. She provides key testimony during the trial regarding Carl's interactions with Kabuo prior to his death, though she herself struggles to fully understand her late husband's inner thoughts.

Art is the county sheriff tasked with investigating the death of Carl Heine. He is a methodical lawman who relies on physical evidence and local warrants to piece together the events surrounding the tragedy, though he also shares a working relationship with the local press.

Nels is the perceptive, aging defense attorney representing Kabuo Miyamoto. He approaches the murder trial with a focus on logic and reasonable doubt, actively working to counter the racial prejudices that threaten to cloud the jury's judgment.

Alvin Hooks is the prosecuting attorney seeking a murder conviction against Kabuo Miyamoto. He meticulously builds a case based on motive, circumstantial evidence, and the tense history between Kabuo and the deceased.

Hisao is Hatsue's father, a hardworking Japanese immigrant who farmed the local strawberry fields before World War II. During the war, he was unjustly arrested by the FBI on baseless suspicions before being sent to an internment camp.

Fujiko is Hatsue's mother, a proud Japanese immigrant who entered an arranged marriage with Hisao. She is deeply committed to preserving her family's cultural dignity and strictly enforces the expectation that her daughters adhere to Japanese traditions.

Horace is the local coroner and a World War II veteran. He struggles to maintain medical objectivity when examining Carl, whom he knew personally, and his own combat trauma influences his interpretation of the deceased's head injury.

Carl Heine Senior is Carl's late father, a strawberry farmer who originally sold seven acres of his land to the Miyamoto family. Unlike his wife, Etta, he harbored no prejudices against his Japanese neighbors and intended to honor their land agreement after the war.

Zenhichi is Kabuo's father, a hardworking Japanese immigrant who sought to build a lasting legacy by purchasing land. His forced displacement during the war prevented him from making the final payments on his property, sparking a generational dispute.

Ole is a local farmer who purchased the Heine farm after Carl Heine Senior's death. Following a debilitating stroke, he decides to sell the property, inadvertently reigniting the conflict between Carl and Kabuo.

Abel is a young deputy working under Sheriff Art Moran. He assists in the initial search of Carl Heine's boat and the grim recovery of his body from the gillnet.

Judge Fielding is the official presiding over Kabuo Miyamoto's murder trial. He is tasked with maintaining order in the courtroom and ensuring the jury focuses on relevant legal facts rather than racial prejudices.

Victor is an Army Sergeant who trained Kabuo in hand-to-hand combat during World War II. He testifies to Kabuo's deadly proficiency and martial arts background, later learning kendo from Kabuo himself.

Josiah is an official within the local fishing community who explains the unwritten code of honor among fishermen, providing context that supports the possibility of Kabuo assisting Carl at sea.

Mrs. Shigemura is an elder in the Japanese American community who educated a young Hatsue in traditional customs, manners, and the strict expectations placed upon Japanese women.

Dr. Whitman is a hematologist who analyzes the physical evidence found on Kabuo's boat, confirming the presence of human blood matching Carl Heine's blood type.

Dale is a local fisherman who admits to following Carl Heine's boat on the night of his death in hopes of discovering where Carl was successfully netting salmon.

Ernest is a young soldier who fights alongside Ishmael Chambers during World War II. They share a brief, harrowing moment of survival on the beach before tragedy strikes.

Robert is a resident of Amity Harbor who is suddenly arrested by the FBI following the attack on Pearl Harbor, demonstrating the swift and baseless targeting of the Japanese American community.