The Scroll of Mount Shiranui
When Mohei, the monk who flees the facility of Abbot Enomoto, brings the old healer Otane a scroll that contains the details of the atrocities Enomoto commits and the unholy power it gives him, that scroll becomes one of the novel's most important symbols. It represents hidden knowledge that has been realized, the key to overthrowing the forces of evil that provides the heroes with their sole source of leverage (much like Frodo's Ring in the Lord of the Rings). Otane passes the scroll (and this terrible knowledge) to Uzaemon, who gives it to Jacob, who gives it to Magistrate Shiroyama, spreading this horrible truth and creating a sort of alliance against Enomoto's cruelty. Once Shiroyama learns this information via this symbolic scroll, he uses it to defeat Enomoto once and for all.
Jacob's Psalter
Jacob is a committed Christian, and Japan's harsh anti-Christian laws are not enough to deter him from his faith. Accordingly, he attempts to smuggle in his family Psalter (the book of Psalms from the Bible), an action that might have led to his execution if not for the generosity of the kind interpreter Ogawa Uzaemon. Jacob values this Psalter above all else, and he keeps it hidden safe in his house, reflecting the wisdom of the Psalms. This symbol extends beyond his own life, as he passes it to his son before he dies.
Orito's Burn
Orito Aibagawa, the Japanese midwife with whom Jacob falls in love, has a distinctive burn on her cheek, a scar from a former injury. This burn distinguishes her from the other Japanese characters, and its significance goes beyond the physical: in Japanese culture, a woman's worth was generally tied to her suitability for marriage, and this physical defect makes Orito's chances for marriage significantly diminished. This burn also qualifies her for slavery at the Mount Shiranui Shrine, which includes also disfigured women. The mark, however, displays Orito's admirable resilience and determination, as she uses her natural gifts to make a life for herself without the need for a husband through the study of medicine.
The Game of Go
Over the course of the novel, Magistrate Shiroyama has an ongoing game of Go, a deceptively simple-looking traditional Chinese game of tactical strategy, with Abbot Enomoto, who is often called "The Master of Go." Enomoto is, to be sure, a master of strategy; his political and economic maneuverings have placed him in a position of necessity for Nagasaki, and no one can dare to cross him. This is reflected in the game of Go, which Enomoto handles with skill, gaining the advantage. At the novel's end, however, when Shiroyama poisons himself and Enomoto to stop the atrocities, Chamberlain Tomine falls on the bowls and the Go pieces scatter everywhere, representing the fact that no matter how skillfully Enomoto constructed his empire, he was undone by the persistence of his enemies.
Orito's Fan
In one of Jacob's early encounters with Orito, she accidentally leaves behind her folding fan. Before he returns it to her, Jacob takes the opportunity to demonstrate his romantic interest by drawing an image of Orito on the inside of the fan, so that when it is unfolded, it reveals his sketch of her. This fan, which causes Jacob much anxiety when it passes through the hands of others, is symbolic of Jacob's quick and deep infatuation as well as of his endearing innocence.
