The rain never quite stopped, although it did get lighter at times. Despite the waterproofs, Akiko was soaked to the skin before mid-morning, and by lunchtime she was really looking forward to getting out of the sodden clothes, taking a bath, and changing into a nice, dry yukata. When she caught herself constructing an elaborate fantasy around it, she decided it was time to eat, and suggested it to the other two.

Shiraishi ordered in packed lunches for everyone, and they sat on the step of the shrine house, under the porch roof, to eat them. The rain got heavier while they ate, Tamao doubtless complaining about them slacking off. It was true that, at first glance, they didn’t seem to have made much progress, but when Akiko looked carefully around the grounds, she could see the areas they had cleared, and it was clear that they would finish.

The presence of Ms Yamanaka stopped Shiraishi and Akiko talking much about what the kami might do in response to this, but she had kept trying to make conversation through the morning, and over lunch it finally started to flow easily.

“I only moved here a few months ago,â€ Ms Yamanaka said, in answer to Shiraishi’s question about her links to the shrine. “My family is from Kyoto. We’ve known the Fujimuras for, er, centuries,â€ she paused and smiled, a little embarrassed, “and Mr Fujimura was good enough to introduce me to some places round here, like your shrine.â€

It turned out that Ms Yamanaka, Noriko, taught kimono, calligraphy, flower arranging, and tea ceremony, and she’d moved to the Tokyo area because there was more demand for teachers there.

“Everyone in Kyoto can already do them,â€ she said, laughing.

The rain eased off a bit as they started work again — Tamao pleased to see them back at it, presumably — and Akiko found herself daydreaming about the bath and the yukata again, when she wasn’t chatting with Noriko or Shiraishi.

Her reveries were interrupted by the splashing sounds of someone running up the steps in the rain.

“Oooh, whiffy!â€ Akiko didn’t even need to look round.

“Good afternoon, Ms Miura,â€ she said, as she turned to face her. Kazumi wasn’t even wearing a raincoat, and water was dripping from her school uniform, her skirt plastered to the trousers, which in turn hung close to her legs. “Shouldn’t you have a coat on?â€ Kazumi shrugged.

“Doesn’t make much difference in this weather. And it’s not like it’s cold. Anyway, what happened?â€

“Someone threw rubbish into the shrine. We’re trying to clean up.â€

“Yuck! Can I help?â€

“Er…â€ For a moment, Akiko was caught by surprise, but it was still true that they wanted as much help as possible. “Yes, certainly. Thank you.â€

Kazumi was enthusiastic, and the extra pair of hands made the last bit of the cleaning seem to go very quickly. Once the physical contamination was cleared, and the bags taken outside the shrine grounds, Shiraishi started preparing for the harae.

“We aren’t finished?â€ Kazumi asked, and Akiko shook her head.

“We have to cleanse the spiritual impurities as well,â€ she explained, and was a bit surprised when Kazumi nodded again.

“Oh, like you did in… for me, before. Right. Won’t the paper shaker thing get all wet?â€

“The ohnusa? Yes, but it’s easy to make another one.â€ As Akiko said that, Shiraishi came out, still in her working clothes but carrying the ohnusa. Akiko’s surprise must have shown on her face, because Shiraishi smiled wryly at her.

“If Tamao wants a harae in full vestments, he can wait until after I have a bath.â€

Akiko smiled back. She obviously wasn’t the only one who had been thinking along those lines.