Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Ebisu festival prayer

恵美須神祭えびすのかみのまつり

An 1897 prayer identifying the addressed Ebisu as Kotoshironushi. This specific identification is not applied to every Ebisu tradition.

English meaning and source text

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English meaning

About this English rendering

This site’s English rendering of the Japanese meaning guide, aligned with this edition. It is separate from the source words for recitation and is not an official liturgy. Sacred sounds are explained where possible, not given speculative literal translations. Historical beliefs, royal authority, illness and protection claims belong to the text; they are not present-day judgments, medical advice or guarantees of results.

Before Tsumihayae Kotoshironushi no Mikoto, whose very name inspires awe,

I respectfully speak.

By the command of the ancestral male and female deities called Kamurogi and Kamuromi,

the august grandchild was entrusted with the land of abundant reeds and ripening rice ears,

to govern it peacefully and tranquilly.

When he descended from heaven,

you, great deity, were at Miho Cape in Izumo,

enjoying the pursuit of birds and the catching of fish.

Yet you promptly yielded the Central Land of Reed Plains to the august grandchild.

With your father, the great deity, you withdrew from governing the land.

This was deeply honored as showing the path of loyalty to ruler and parent in this prayer.

Revering your broad and abundant virtue, people of high and low station

worship you at the sacred shelves of their respective households.

In particular, the twentieth day of the tenth month is called Ebisu Festival.

Please gently receive this festival

served by those engaged in trade.

Protect the conduct of commerce,

and let us govern ourselves and our households well with a pure, unclouded, sincere heart.

Like a long-enduring tree, through successive generations without interruption,

may we prosper abundantly without decline and continue to serve you.

Now, as today’s morning sun rises bright and strong,

with words of praise,

I respectfully speak.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for every line of this source text.

How to use the Roman letters

Roman letters follow the kana displayed in this site’s Japanese reader; some readings are editorial additions documented on the Japanese page. These are a reading aid, not restored Sanskrit or a recording of a temple’s chanting. Historical spellings (such as wo, wi, we and ha used as a particle) are kept. Double vowels and repeated vowels mark the written kana; rhythm and pronunciation can differ by tradition.

You can simply read the meaning or sit quietly. No recitation is required. For a temple or shrine’s own recitation, follow that tradition’s published guidance.

掛巻(かけまく)も畏(かしこ)き都味歯(つみは)八重事代主命(やへことしろぬしのみこと)の大前(おほまへ)に

kakemakumo kashikoki tsumiha yahekotoshironushinomikotono ohomaheni

恐(かしこ)み恐(かしこ)みも白(まを)さく

kashikomi kashikomimo mawosaku

皇睦(すめむつ)神漏岐(かむろぎ)神漏美(かむろみ)の命(みこと)を以(もち)て

sumemutsu kamurogi kamuromino mikotowo mochite

皇御孫命(すめみまのみこと)は豊葦原(とよあしはら)の水穂(みづほ)の国(くに)を

sumemimanomikotoha toyoashiharano mizuhono kuniwo

安国(やすくに)と平(たひら)けく所知食(しろしめせ)と事(こと)依(よさ)して

yasukunito tahirakeku shiroshimeseto koto yosashite

天降(あも)し賜(たま)ふ時(とき)に

amoshi tamafu tokini

大神(おほかみ)は出雲国(いづものくに)三穂(みほ)の崎(さき)に

ohokamiha izumonokuni mihono sakini

鳥遊(とりあそび)魚取(うをとり)遊楽(たのし)み坐(ま)しを

toriasobi uwotori tanoshimi mashiwo

立処(たちどころ)に葦原(あしはら)の中国(なかつくに)を皇御孫命(すめみまのみこと)に奉(まつ)り坐(ま)して

tachidokoroni ashiharano nakatsukuniwo sumemimanomikotoni matsuri mashite

父大神(ちちおほかみ)と共(とも)に事避(ことさ)り坐(ま)しは

chichiohokamito tomoni kotosari mashiha

最(いと)も畏(かしこ)く君親(きみおや)に忠誠(まこと)なる道(みち)を顕(あらは)し坐(ま)しし

itomo kashikoku kimioyani makotonaru michiwo arahashi mashishi

広(ひろ)き厚(あつ)き神徳(みいつ)を仰(あふ)ぎ尊(たふと)み貴(たかき)も賤(ひくき)も

hiroki atsuki miitsuwo afugi tafutomi takakimo hikukimo

家々(いへいへ)の神棚(かみだな)に斎(いつ)き奉(まつ)れるを

iheiheno kamidanani itsuki matsureruwo

十月(かむなづき)廿日(はつかのひ)はしも恵美須祭(えびすまつり)と称(たた)へ奉(まつ)りて

kamunazuki hatsukanohihashimo ebisumatsurito tatahe matsurite

市人等(いちびとら)の御祭(みまつり)仕(つかへ)奉(まつ)らくを

ichibitorano mimatsuri tsukahe matsurakuwo

平(たひら)に安(やすら)に聞食(きこしめ)して

tahirani yasurani kikoshimeshite

商(あきなひ)の業(わざ)を守(まも)り給(たま)ひ

akinahino wazawo mamori tamahi

清(きよ)き明(あか)き真心(まこころ)に家(いへ)をも身(み)をも令治(をさめしめ)賜(たま)ひて

kiyoki akaki makokoroni ihewomo miwomo wosameshime tamahite

樛(つが)の木(き)の弥嗣々(いやつぎつぎ)に絶(たゆ)る事(こと)無(な)く

tsugano kino iyatsugitsugini tayuru koto naku

堕(おつ)る事(こと)无(な)く富栄(とみさかえ)仕(つかへ)奉(まつ)らしめ給(たま)へと

otsuru koto naku tomisakae tsukahe matsurashime tamaheto

今日(けふ)の朝日(あさひ)の豊栄登(とよさかのぼ)りに

kefuno asahino toyosakanoborini

称辞(たたへごと)竟(をへ)奉(まつ)らくと

tatahegoto wohe matsurakuto

恐(かしこ)み恐(かしこ)みも白(まを)す

kashikomi kashikomimo mawosu

Connected kami and buddhas

These connections include figures addressed, mentioned, or associated by tradition. They do not assign a universal recitation practice.

Sources and edition (1)

English explanations on this page were prepared by Inori no Mori from the cited text and its Japanese explanations. They are not an official translation or a prescribed liturgy.

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