Kino is the lead character in the story and is described as being around 15 years old with short black hair, large eyes and a fearless face. Kino usually wears a black jacket, brown overcoat, white shirt, goggled cap and wide belt with lots of pouches—using special gear depending on the weather or season as necessary. Kino travels with the motorrad, Hermes. The two have a contract—Kino provides the balance, Hermes provides the speed, and together they can travel anywhere they wish. Kino is an excellent marksman with deadly speed and accuracy, and is typically armed with two large-caliber pistols. On the journeys with Hermes, they both try and stay neutral to the situations they come across and avoid getting into other people's business.

It is revealed in episode 4 of the anime and the final chapter of volume 1 of the light novel series that Kino is a female. Her name "Kino" is actually the name of the traveler who saved her as a child and caused her to take to her current lifestyle. Her actual birth name is left unstated throughout both the show and LN but there are implications in the anime that it is "Sakura."