 The story is based on actual historical facts, but while keeping the  character name of the heros mentor Father Ferreira who was an  actual historical figure, author Shusaku Endo changed the  nationality of hero who historically was an Italian called Giuzeppe  Cara to Portuguese, thus making him the same nationality as  Ferreira, and gave him the fictional name of Sebastian Rodrigo (in  the English translation, translated as Rodrigues).