Within the Great Hall of the Mii-dera temple is a statue of Maitreya, the Future Buddha. It stands in the centre of the hall, its presence dominating the space. In front of it is a lone monk, his head bowed in prayer. He moves the beads of his rosary through his fingers, counting the number of times he has recited his prayer. The words blend together, forming a drone that even the most devout would find difficult to distinguish where it starts and where it ends. But the monk knows. At regular intervals another bead slips through his fingers to join the others with a quiet click.

As the sun settles in the western sky, the shadow of the statue lengthens and creeps across the floor until it reaches the rush mat that the monk is sitting on. His eyes flick up, noting the position of the shadow, then back down as he continues his prayer until the tip of the shadow touches his feet. The monk finishes his prayer, then stands up. He straightens his robe and bows to the statue of Maitreya, before turning away and walking sedately from the Great Hall.

The monk hurries across the courtyard towards a small roofed enclosure. Hanging beneath the roof is a great bronze bell - the Mii-dera no Bansho - a polished log suspended next to it in a cat's cradle of ropes. Four burly monks are sitting by the bell, laughing at some joke that one of them has just told. The monk from the Great Hall climbs the steps to the bell. "Oi!" he calls out.

The four monks look at him. "What is it, Usui-kun?" says the largest of them. "Is it that time again?"

Usui-kun nods and points towards the west. "It is. Come on! What are you waiting for?"

The four monks get to their feet, grumbling at the interruption to their evening's idleness. They position themselves along the polished log, taking hold of the metal staples positioned along its length.

The largest monk nods and begins to count. "One!"

They pull the log back a few feet.

"Two!"

As one, the four monks swing the log towards the bell. As the wood meets the bronze, a sonorous note fills the evening air. It resonates through their bodies - felt rather than heard - and the monks pull back. The largest monk begins his count again. "One! Two!"

Usui-kun hurries from the belfry, his fingers in his ears to protect them from the tolling of the bell. In the courtyard outside the Great Hall, the other inhabitants of the monastery are gathering for the evening prayer.

From the Enryaku-ji temple, at the summit of nearby Mount Hiei, comes an answering note.