That was the pressing question. Akiko sat down across from Shiraishi, and tried to be as positive as possible.

“Well, we could call the ujiko. I’m sure Akira would help, and Mr Ito. And it wouldn’t hurt to call other people as well. They might also want to help the shrine.â€

“We’d need about a million yen per person,â€ Shiraishi said. For a moment, Akiko was shocked. Only twenty people?â€

“There must be more people than that with some connection to the shrine. And,â€ inspiration struck, “we don’t need gifts from them. Loans are fine. We just need to pay Wakabayashi off; paying them off later is not a problem.â€

“Without a shrine building? We can’t rebuild without the money.â€

“Let’s save the grounds first!â€ Akiko realised that she was shouting, and quickly calmed herself down. “I’m sorry. I’m just a bit stressed after seeing the kami. Tamao knocked a tree over in the precincts, you know.â€

“I thought that was the wind?â€ Shiraishi asked. Akiko shook her head. “Well,â€ the priest continued, “it sounds like we can’t rely on much help from Tamao; he’s just making things worse.â€ She paused, but Akiko said nothing and waited for her to go on. “So we have to do it ourselves.â€ She pushed her hands down on the table and stood up. “I’ll make a list and start calling round the ujiko. You can… er…â€

“I think I should clean the precincts after the wind and rain. Tamao might cause even more damage if the shrine is a mess.â€ Shiraishi looked at her for a while, and then nodded.

“That might be best. I can’t think of anything you could do to get the money, in any case.â€

Akiko stood up, and had already left the room when the priest called after her.

“Oh, Akiko. Wear your miko vestments.â€

“What? Why?â€ Akiko was puzzled. It was hardly a ceremony.

“It makes the shrine look more active. And, come to think of it, makes it clear that it’s a shrine. We don’t want people to think we’ve already closed.â€

That did make sense, so Akiko nodded in agreement and went to get changed.

The storm had already passed by the time Akiko was changed, and she concluded that Tamao had got over his temper tantrum. It was almost dark, however, and Akiko soon realised that she couldn’t clean effectively that night. She paid her respects to the site of the shrine, and the iwakura, and then went back inside.

She was up early the next morning, in her vestments again, and out to start properly on the cleaning. The precincts were a mess, with leaves and twigs everywhere, not to mention mud from the rain, and the fallen tree in the wood. She had a quick look at that before she started, but it didn’t look dangerous, and it did look far too big for her to do anything about, so she left it to concentrate on the things she could do.

She had cleared the largest branches away, stacking them by the shrine house until she could talk to Shiraishi and decide what to do with them, and had just got the broom out when she heard a commotion from the bottom of the stairs.

<em>The protesters again, </em>she thought, and, with a sigh, went to see what was going on.

It was the protesters, blocking the way of another older man whom Akiko had not seen before. He was wearing traditional Japanese dress, a haori and hakama, which surprised Akiko. She had never seen a man wearing it anywhere but a wedding. She hurried down the steps, glancing at the protesters. She had seen them before, but Mrs Watanabe wasn’t there, and nor was Mr Akiyama. By the time she reached the bottom of the steps, she was fairly confident that she could deal with it.

“What is the problem?â€ she asked.

“I would like to enter the shrine and have a norito said, but these… people,â€ the man indicated the protesters, his voice heavy with contempt, “do not want to let me past.â€

Akiko bowed to him, trying to remember everything she had been taught about manners. There was something about his bearing that said that he would notice, and remember, any lapse.

“We would be pleased to perform the ceremony for you.â€ She turned to the protesters, and one of them spoke before she could.

“Why bother? It’s not like there’s going to be a shrine here next week.â€

Akiko clenched her fists and her jaw, trying to keep control. She wanted to see how the man reacted to that, but she didn’t want to be obvious about it. Forcing herself to relax, she did her best to keep her voice level as she replied.

“There is a shrine here now, and this gentleman would like to have a norito said. Are you going to obstruct him as he goes about his lawful business?â€

The protester held her gaze, defiantly, for a moment, before dropping his eyes and shaking his head.

“Good,â€ Akiko said, and then turned back to the man. “This way, please.â€ They started climbing the steps, and Akiko felt the need to explain to him. “I’m afraid that the shrine currently lacks a honden or a haiden…â€

“Yes, the fire. I heard.â€

“So the norito will have to be offered at a himorogi.â€

“Yes, that is fine. I understand the necessity.â€

He waited outside while Akiko fetched Shiraishi from the office. When they came out, the man and the priest both bowed.

“My name is Fujimura,â€ he said. “Pleased to meet you.â€

“I am Shiraishi, the chief priest of this shrine. Pleased to meet you.â€

<em>He’s not an ujiko, then.</em> Akiko was surprised. Why was he there, in that case?

“I should like to have a norito offered.â€

“Of course. What kind?â€

“I should like you to pray for the health and prosperity of their majesties the Emperor and Empress, and for the peace and prosperity of the Japanese nation.â€

“Of course. Please come inside; I will get changed.â€ Shiraishi showed him to the reception room, then pulled Akiko aside in the corridor.

“Get him tea and Japanese sweets, as quickly as you can.â€

“Who is he?â€

“I don’t know, so he may become a new supporter for the shrine. Hurry.â€

Akiko got the tea and took it through, bowing as she set it on the table. Mr Fujimura bowed his head back, in acknowledgement, but said nothing to her. Akiko felt slightly awkward, and withdrew to wait in the corridor.

The norito was offered without any problems, or direct intervention from the kami. As they were starting, Akiko tried to switch to seeing kegare, to see whether Mr Fujimura was polluted, but she couldn’t quite get it, and then Shiraishi did the initial purification, which would cleanse him anyway, so she stopped bothering. One of the protesters did come up to the precincts, but he didn’t interfere with the ceremony.

Afterwards, Mr Fujimura thanked them, and handed over a box, wrapped in a square of silk, as his offering. Shiraishi accepted it gratefully, and Akiko escorted him to the top of the stairs. He turned to bow to the shrine, but then did not look back as he swept passed the protesters.

Akiko returned to the office to find Shiraishi unwrapping the offering. The priest looked up as she entered.

“I wonder what this is. Actual rice? Or maybe silk cloth? That would be very traditional, and he did look the traditional type.â€

Inside the cloth was a lacquer box, simple but apparently well made. Shiraishi whistled softly.

“This is nice,â€ she said. Carefully, she lifted the lid from it, and she and Akiko both gasped.

The box was full of ten-thousand-yen notes.