Teoh Yun Ling is a Malaysian former War Crimes Tribunal prosecutor confronting a degenerative neurological condition that erases memory and language. Haunted by her imprisonment in a secret Japanese forced labor camp during World War II, she travels to the Cameron Highlands in 1951 to seek out a Japanese gardener to build a memorial for her sister. Driven by survivor's guilt and a deep need for order, she is highly disciplined and fiercely guarded. She wears gloves constantly to conceal the physical scars of her captivity.

Nakamura Aritomo is the enigmatic former gardener to the Emperor of Japan who lives in self-imposed exile in the Malayan highlands. He dedicates his existence to creating highly controlled, aesthetic spaces using traditional principles. Laconic and intensely private, he refuses Yun Ling's initial commission but counters by offering to make her his apprentice. He views the disciplined creation of beauty as a necessary response to a chaotic and violent world.

Magnus Pretorius is a South African Boer farmer who owns the Majuba Tea Estate neighboring Yugiri. Having survived a British concentration camp during the Boer War, he carries his own historical grievances but adopts a pragmatic approach to survival. He is gruff but deeply compassionate, offering Yun Ling shelter and urging her not to let anger consume her life.

Frederik Pretorius is the heir to the Majuba Tea Estate, having fought for the British in Burma during World War II. He prefers a wilder, uncultivated approach to nature, contrasting sharply with the highly artificial aesthetics of Japanese gardening. He remains a steadfast, practical presence in Yun Ling's life, checking on her well-being and managing the practicalities of the estate during the Malayan Emergency.

Yoshikawa Tatsuji is a Japanese historian and professor specializing in woodblock prints. He visits the Cameron Highlands to study Aritomo's art, inadvertently prompting Yun Ling to record her memories. A former pilot during World War II, he harbors his own wartime trauma and dedicates his post-war life to scholarly research and uncovering hidden historical truths.

Emily Pretorius is Magnus's Chinese wife, a practical and authoritative woman who manages the estate's clinic for workers. She navigates the complex social hierarchies of colonial Malaya with quiet dignity, blending traditional Chinese propriety with the demands of life on an isolated plantation. In the present-day timeline, she struggles with age-related dementia.

Teoh Yun Hong is Yun Ling's older sister, remembered for her gentle, artistic nature and a deep love of Japanese gardens. She is subjected to horrific abuse as a forced sex worker in a secret Japanese labor camp. Her suffering and unfulfilled dreams serve as the catalyst for her sister's quest to build Yugiri.

Ah Cheong is the steadfast housekeeper at Yugiri. For decades, he faithfully maintains the property, ensuring the buildings do not fall into complete ruin. He is a quiet, observant presence who remains fiercely loyal to his employers.

Tominaga Noburu is a mysterious Japanese civilian who oversaw a secret mining project at the labor camp where Yun Ling was held. Obsessed with gardens, he selects Yun Ling to act as his interpreter. He is a morally complex figure operating within a brutal imperial system.

Inspector Woo is an officer in the Special Branch police force during the Malayan Emergency. He monitors the escalating violence between communist insurgents and colonial authorities, frequently advising the residents of the Cameron Highlands on security matters.