Sakae

Sakae is friendly and comfortable around the other members of Suwa Shrine. Along with Hikari and Homare, she immediately takes an affectionate interest in the young Tokiyuki after he arrives.

She is not presented as a warrior and reacts as an ordinary member of the shrine community when military intimidation intrudes upon Suwa. Her vulnerability consequently emphasizes the difference between the people living under Suwa's protection and the armed authorities attempting to impose control over them.

Canon provides relatively little individual characterization beyond these appearances, so her personal history and ambitions remain largely unexplored.

Sakae is a shrine maiden, but the series does not establish a distinctive supernatural or combat ability for her.

Her duties belong to the religious and domestic life of Suwa Shrine. She should not be assumed to possess the divine techniques demonstrated by figures such as Shizuku simply because they share an affiliation with the shrine.

Sakae first appears among the shrine maidens admiring Tokiyuki after his arrival in Suwa. She subsequently becomes involved indirectly in the political confrontation between Suwa and Sadamune.

During Sadamune's visit, the governor demonstrates his extraordinary archery by deliberately firing an arrow close enough to Sakae to injure her ear. The act gives Tokiyuki a direct example of Sadamune's precision as well as his willingness to intimidate Suwa.

Tokiyuki later competes against Sadamune in inuoumono. His attempt to strike Sadamune's ear mirrors what happened to Sakae, giving the otherwise tactical contest a small element of personal retaliation.

Hikari is one of Sakae's fellow shrine maidens and helps care for her after her encounter with Sadamune.

Homare is another shrine maiden regularly seen alongside Sakae and Hikari.

Tokiyuki Houjou is the young Houjou heir sheltered at Suwa Shrine. Sakae and the other maidens quickly become fond of him.

Sadamune Ogasawara injures Sakae's ear while demonstrating his extraordinary archery and intimidating the Suwa faction.

Shizuku is another shrine maiden serving Suwa, although her responsibilities and divine abilities place her much closer to Tokiyuki's military activities.