Akiko struggled to keep her eyes open during the early morning ceremonies around the shrine grounds, making offerings at in front of the go-shintai, the iwakura, Mr Takenaka’s shrine, and the tree. When they had finished, she took a moment to lean on the tree, pressing her cheek against it as her tension drained away.

“Akiko!â€ Shiraishi was shaking her shoulder gently, and Akiko opened her eyes, realising that she’d actually fallen asleep leaning on the tree. She blushed, and quickly apologised, but Shiraishi just looked concerned, and tired.

“Are you all right?â€ she asked, and Akiko nodded. The priest looked a bit sceptical. “Are you sure? I’m not sure we can keep this schedule up. We need some help watching the shrine, so that we can get more sleep.â€

“Help would certainly be nice,â€ Akiko agreed, as she gathered the mats and table, ready to carry them back to the shrine house. “But who can we ask? Akira would do it, but I don’t like to ask him all the time.â€

“No, me neither.â€ The priest started walking back. “Maybe we should talk to Mr Ito, or some of the other ujiko.â€

“Would they help? They don’t exactly come here much.â€

“True.â€ Shiraishi sighed as she said it. “Things are a bit better than they were, well, when you first turned up. But not that much. Maybe…â€

As they came out of the woodland, Shiraishi fell silent. Akiko, just behind her, soon saw why. There were about a dozen people, all in Japanese clothing, gathered near the shrine house. There were a couple of women, but most were men, and Akiko instantly recognised Mr Fujimura at the head of the group. They quickly hurried over.

“Mr Fujimura, so good of you to come. I’m so sorry to have kept you waiting,â€ Shiraishi said as she reached them. Mr Fujimura nodded.

“That is quite all right, Revd Shiraishi. Please, put your ritual equipment away first. We are not in so much of a hurry.â€ He smiled slightly as he said that, but it didn’t look entirely natural to Akiko.

Possibly Shiraishi had also not been completely convinced, because she had Akiko just stow the gear quickly in the office, so that they could go back out to the group.

“What can we do for you, Mr Fujimura?â€

“We have come for a ceremony,â€ he replied, looking round and gesturing at the people behind him, who all bowed. “We would like to ask the kami for harmony within the group and success in our endeavours. And, of course, we would like to pray for the health and prosperity of their Imperial Majesties, and the peace and prosperity of the country.â€

“Of course,â€ Shiraishi said, bowing in return. “Would you like to come through to the waiting room while we prepare?â€

At the entrance to the room, Mr Fujimura paused, one of the women standing next to him.

“Revd Shiraishi, this is Noriko Yamanaka. She lives quite near to the shrine.â€ The woman bowed deeply, and when she stood up she looked at Akiko as well as the priest.

“I am Noriko Yamanaka. I’m very pleased to meet you, and I hope to be of service.â€ Akiko thought that she was perhaps in her late thirties, her hair carefully styled to suit her kimono, which looked very elegant, and expensive, to Akiko’s untutored eyes.

“I am Reiko Shiraishi, chief priest of this shrine. I hope that I, too, can be of service. Please, make yourselves at home while I prepare for the ritual.â€

As Akiko hurried off to make the tea, it suddenly occurred to her that there were some similarities between her current job and the last one.