The Little Mikos are in training to become mikos. This involves a lot of chores, lessons, and excersises at the temple. Grown-ups and others at the temple are always busy with 'important grown-up things'. This lets the mikos explore and discover a lot of things on their own, and leaves them with plenty of time to have adventures and get into trouble. Every miko has a bond with a [[spirit]] that gives her a supernatural power, as well as allows the spirit to manifest. Spirits manifest on their own initiative, and often do so to protect or guide the little miko. The spirits are a sort of imaginary friend, but with actual influence on the world—just like with imaginary friends, grown-ups don't believe they are really there. ==== The Temple ==== The temple is where the little mikos are in training. The temple is situated near a waterfall, on the edge of the bamboo forest, and within walking distance of the caves. On the temple terrain one can find the temple itself, the Spirit Gate, several huts and little houses where the temple staff lives, a slightly larger house for the [[head priest]], as well as the separate barracks and training grounds of the guardians of the gate. A [[gardener]] lives in a little shack in the back of the grounds, where he keeps his gardening tools (mainly a lot of shovels). The temple grounds also contain the little house where [[obaa-san]] and the little mikos live: [show] Person: Tag [[Little Miko]] [/show] ==== The surrounding area ==== From the temple there is a path to the village, which is "the rest of the world" from the perspective of the mikos (and most other temple staff). The village has many important people such as the baker, the carpenter and carpenter's apprentice, and the rice farmers.