Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Purification prayer

祓詞はらえことば

A prayer recalling Izanagi’s purification and addressing the kami of purification. It is not exclusive to Amaterasu, Inari or any one deity.

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.

Izanagi Ōkami, whose very name inspires awe,

at Awagihara by Odo in Tachibana, Himuka of Tsukushi,

performed ablution and purification, at which time you were born,

great deities of purification.

If there are calamities, offences, or impurities,

please sweep them away and cleanse us: this is our wish.

With reverence I ask that you hear it.

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（か）けまくも畏（かしこ）き 伊邪那岐大神（いざなぎのおほかみ）

kakemakumo kashikoki izanaginoohokami

筑紫（つくし）の日向（ひむか）の橘（たちばな）の小戸（をど）の阿波岐原（あはぎはら）に

tsukushino himukano tachibanano wodono ahagiharani

御禊（みそぎ）祓（はら）へ給（たま）ひし時（とき）に生（な）り坐（ま）せる

misogi harahe tamahishi tokini nari maseru

祓戸（はらへど）の大神等（おほかみたち）

harahedono ohokamitachi

諸諸（もろもろ）の禍事（まがごと） 罪（つみ） 穢（けがれ）有（あ）らむをば

moromorono magagoto tsumi kegare aramuwoba

祓（はら）へ給（たま）ひ清（きよ）め給（たま）へと白（まを）す事（こと）を

harahe tamahi kiyome tamaheto mawosu kotowo

聞（き）こし食（め）せと 恐（かしこ）み恐（かしこ）みも白（まを）す

kikoshi meseto 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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