Suzaku: Son of Emperor Kiritsubo. 3 years older than Hikaru. Later Emperor Suzaku, Suzaku-in.
Hikaru: Son of Emperor Kiritsubo. Suzaku's younger brother.
Hotaru: Son of Emperor Kiritsubo. Suzaku and Hikaru's younger brother.
Reizei: Hikaru's eldest son. In genealogy he is the son of Emperor Kiritsubo. Crown Prince during the Suzaku Emperor era. Later Emperor Reizei, Reizei-in.
Yugiri: Hikaru's second son. He is the eldest son on the genealogy. Son of Hikaru and Aoi. 3 years younger than Reizei.
Lady Kiritsubo: Hikaru's mother. She died young due to the jealous bullying of Lady Kokiden.
Lady Kokiden: Suzaku's mother. Daughter of the Minister of the Right. She hates Lady Kiritsubo and her child Hikaru.
Lady Fujitsubo: Because of her resemblance to Lady Kiritsubo, she married Emperor Kiritsubo and became his Empress. 5 years older than Hikaru. Reizei's mother.
Tono-Chujo: Aoi's older brother. Son of the Minister of the Left. Hikaru's cousin. Yugiri's uncle. (His name changes depending on his promotion.)
Lady Aoi: Hikaru's wife. 4 years older than Hikaru. Daughter of the Minister of the Left. She dies soon after giving birth to Yugiri.
Lady Murasaki: Lady Fujitsubo's niece. Hikaru's wife. 8 years younger than Hikaru. She was taken in and raised by Hikaru from the age of 10.
Lady Rokujo: Former Crown Princess. Empress Umetsubo's mother. She lets out a vengeful spirit unconsciously.
Lady Oborozukiyo: Lady Kokiden's younger sister. Principal Handmaid from the time of Emperor Suzaku. She was dating Hikaru before serving the emperor.
Lady Umetsubo: Lady Rokujo's daughter. Princess Saigu. 9 years older than Reizei. Empress of Emperor Reizei.
Miss/Lady Tamakazura: Lady Yugao and Tono-chujo's daughter. Hikaru took her into his home and acted as her parent.
Kashiwagi: Tono-chujo's eldest son. Kumoi-no-Kari's older brother. Yugiri's cousin.
Miss/Lady Kumoi-no-Kari: Tono-chujo's daughter. Kashiwagi's younger sister. 2 years older than Yugiri. She's in love with Yugiri.
Princess San-no-miya: Suzaku's daughter. Kaoru's mother. She is loved by Kashiwagi.
Lady Shokyoden: Emperor Suzaku's consort. Mother of Togu (later Emperor Kinjo).
The thick-bearded Major Captain: Lady Shokyoden's older brother. Emperor Kinjo's uncle. He abandoned his old wife to marry Tamakazura.
Tou-Naishinosuke: Emperor Reizei's Assistant Handmaid. A former Harvest Festival dancer. She gives birth to Yugiri's children.
Emperor Kinjo: Son of Suzaku and Lady Shokyoden. Crown Prince of the Reizei Emperor era. Princess San-no-miya's half-brother.
Princess Akashi: Hikaru and Lady Akashi's daughter. She marries Togu and gives birth to his first son, and she becomes Emperor Kinjo's empress.
Nio-no-miya: Suzaku and Hikaru's grandson. Emperor Kinjo's third son. One year older than Kaoru.
Kaoru: Son of Kashiwagi and Princess San-no-miya. Suzaku's grandson. Nio-no-miya's cousin.