“No! Not like that, like <em>this!â€</em> Shiraishi sounded quite frustrated as she took the small stand, the sanpo, from Akiko and held it up. “Look, your fingers go <em>here</em> and <em>here</em>, and you hold it at eye level. Now try it again.â€ They were kneeling formally in the reception room in the shrine house, and Akiko’s legs were already starting to go numb. And all they had done was pick up the sanpo. There wasn’t even anything on it. Stifling a groan, Akiko picked it up again, trying to get her hands into the same position as Shiraishi’s, and raised it to eye-level. The priest peered under the tray, and then nodded.

“Right, finally. Now, put it down.â€ Akiko put the sanpo on the table.

“Nooo! Oh, for goodness’ sake.â€ Shiraishi really did sound exasperated. “What did I tell you? First put it down near the front, then take your hands off, line the fingers up, put them on the sides of the base, and move it to the centre. Don’t just put it straight down. Watch again.â€ The priest picked the stand up, and then put it down, adjusting her grip to push it closer to the centre. Akiko really couldn’t see the point.

“I’m sorry, but why not put it straight down?â€

“Because that’s not the way it’s done. You have to do it in two stages, like I showed you.â€ Akiko’s legs were starting to ache, and she shifted in place.

“Revd Shiraishi, how long do I have to sit in seiza?â€

“It’s only been ten minutes! No ceremony is over that quickly; you need to be able to do at least half an hour.â€

“Half an…â€ Akiko cut herself off as she realised how incredulous she sounded. “Can’t I at least build up to it?â€

Shiraishi opened her mouth, then shut it again, nodding.

“Yes, I suppose you should. Now, watch me, and copy how I stand up.â€

It looked easy; she shifted her legs so that she could get one under her, and then stood up smoothly. However, when Akiko tried to copy her, her legs refused to co-operate, and she had to grab on to the table to keep from falling over. Even then, she could only stand up very slowly. Shiraishi grimaced.

“Once you are standing, we’ll practice bowing.â€

“I think I can bow.â€

“Well then, bow as if you’re paying your respects to the kami.â€

Akiko did, but when she straightened up Shiraishi was shaking her head.

“Not deep enough. You have to bow all the way down to ninety degrees.â€

Akiko finally lost her patience.

“I thought you were going to train me to be a miko! That seems to be what Tamao wants! Why are you spending all this time on pointless movements?â€

“These “pointless movementsâ€ are the main part of being a miko. Well, apart from cleaning the shrine grounds, and you seem to have that part down already.â€

“What about, I don’t know, the norito? Something like the Lotus sutra?â€

“Miko don’t do noritos. That’s just the priests. You have to learn the ritual movements, and the dances.â€

“Dances?â€

“Yes.â€ Shiraishi rolled her eyes. “You really have got all your knowledge of miko from manga, haven’t you? There are no magic charms, no battles with spirits, no transforming into white birds, no secret schools of martial arts. And you don’t have to be a virgin and you do get to wear knickers.â€

Akiko was about to retort that battles with spirits had been a fairly central part of Tamao’s message when the doorbell rang.