Subject: Mountain – Returning Home

It is an autumn evening at 日神神宮(Hikami Shrine), located near the summit of a small mountain in Nara Prefecture. 香(Kaori), a shrine maiden, is walking briskly up the approach in her uniform. [Kaori] She serves as the 巫(kannagi) for 日御子(Himiko)/倭迹迹日百襲姫 (Yamato-totohi-momoso-hime), the principal deity of Hikami Shrine, and acts as the de facto ruler of 日神市(Hikami City). An exceptionally gifted medium, she became Himiko’s 巫(kannagi); two years later, she received the spirit of Cleopatra from Alexandra—who had arrived from Milan—and became her medium as well. She is currently 18 years old. She has long, straight-cut black hair that reaches her waist; it is fine in texture and has a lustrous sheen, and she wears bangs. She is a 168cm-tall Japanese woman with a slender physique—rivaling that of a Hollywood actress—measuring B83/W50/H85. She wears triangular stainless steel wire earrings and sports crimson lipstick with natural-style makeup. She carries a navy blue sports bag. [Dress uniform] Made from smooth, breathable, thin silk twill, this sleeve-less dress requires no lining and nothing underneath. It features a high, full-coverage back and wide straps, while the narrow, deep square neckline beautifully highlights the décolletage. Princess-seam paneling runs from the shoulders and bust through the waist to the hem, creating a snug-fit silhouette and an well above knee pencil skirt. A matching fabric belt with a square chrome buckle at front, cinches the waist. Each exact side seam is replaced by one narrow, exposed, two-way zipper running continuously from directly beneath the underarm to the hem. Each zipper is equipped with two sliders: the upper one positioned at the armpit and the lower one at the starting point of the side slit. The zipper is a fine-gauge dark-navy nylon coil zipper with small polished chrome pull tabs matching the belt buckle. It is functional rather than decorative and never moves onto the front or back panels. Their precise placement at the side edges offers several advantages: - To put it on or take it off, simply remove the belt, slide the lower zipper pull upwards to fully open the sides, put your arms through while inserting your torso from the side, put your head through, put it on, close the zipper, and fasten the belt again. This method is easier to manage than a back zipper and eliminates the need to lay the dress on the floor and step into it from above. - With no zippers on the front or back, the garment maintains a clean, simple aesthetic. Furthermore, the zippers are inconspicuous as they are positioned where the arms naturally hang. - Partially opening the zippers from the hem creates slits on both sides, allowing for smooth movement while walking, even with the skirt that fits tight around the hips. Opening them more creates a lively look, while opening them slightly creates a more modest look. - Even when the zippers are opened wide, the thighs remain largely concealed from the front and back—where they would be most visible—ensuring an elegant gait. The bold opening is visible only briefly from the side. - Unlike a single side slit, the skirt does not become lopsided or disheveled; opening the zippers symmetrically maintains the skirt's balance while walking. [Undergarments] Made of white chiffon. It consists solely of sewn-in long sleeves (with cuffs) and a detachable collar (without a bodice section); the collar is adorned with a deep crimson ribbon bow. No other undergarments are worn, preventing the silhouette from being spoiled by visible lines through the uniform. [Waist Belt] A belt made from the same fabric as the dress—featuring a square chrome buckle at the front center—is worn to accentuate the curve of the waist. Belt loops are provided at the front-left and front-right of the bodice, as well as at both ends of the back panel. [Footwear] Dark navy knee-high socks feature a small embroidered school crest on the upper outer side. She wears thin-soled black loafers with 7 cm heels. [Background] A stone-stepped approach with a 10% gradient leading to the shrine near the mountain's summit. Handrails line both sides, framing a three-meter-wide central path. Below, the stone-stepped approach can be seen winding along the ridge line. In the background, the townscape of Hikami is visible one kilometer below, and Mount Miminashi and Mount Futakami can be seen in the distance. [Lighting] The sun is setting behind her. The shadows are supplemented with fill light. [Camera] This is one of a series of shots taken with a standard lens from a front-diagonal angle, tracking Kaori as she climbs. A photographer from a local newspaper took the picture for publication in print and online.