Shimamura
A wealthy Tokyoite who lives a comfortable life on an inheritance. He is an expert on occidental ballet, but he has never seen an actual ballet.
Komako
A geisha at the hot spring town who falls in love with Shimamura.
Yoko
A girl who lives in the hot spring town whom Shimamura admires on the train.
Yukio
The son of a music-teacher, he returns to the hot spring sick with tuberculosis, expecting to die.