Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

New Year’s Day Prayer — 1869 edition

元日(がんじつ)(1869年刊本(ねんかんぽん))

A historical New Year prayer offering food and sake and asking for peace for the realm and its people. The language about the imperial reign belongs to this nineteenth-century text.

English meaning and source text

Text size

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 the great kami whom we worship, we humbly speak.

At sunrise on the new day, new month and new year, we bow and offer food and sake. Please receive them peacefully and fully.

Through this service, may the imperial reign endure firmly now and in the future. May the imperial family, nobles and officials who pray for a flourishing, fulfilled reign and serve it flourish like abundant branches.

May the world be peaceful, and may the people be protected and blessed. We humbly offer these words.

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)まくも恐(かしこ)き吾大神(わがおほかみ)の大前(おほまへ)に、恐(かしこ)み恐(かしこ)みも白(まを)さく。

kakemakumo kashikoki wagaohokamino ohomaheni, kashikomi kashikomimo mawosaku.

新(あらた)しき年(とし)の新(あらた)しき月(つき)の新(あらた)しき日(ひ)の、朝日(あさひ)の豊栄登(とよさかのぼり)に拝(をろが)みて仕奉(つかへまつ)る大御饌(おほみけ)・大御酒(おほみき)を、皇神(すめがみ)の御心(みこころ)に平(たひら)けく安(やすら)けく赤丹(あかに)の穂(ほ)に聞食(きこしめせ)と白(まを)す。

aratashiki toshino aratashiki tsukino aratashiki hino, asahino toyosakanoborini worogamite tsukahematsuru ohomike ohomikiwo, sumegamino mikokoroni tahirakeku yasurakeku akanino honi kikoshimeseto mawosu.

如此(かく)仕奉(つかへまつ)るに依(より)て、今(いま)も往前(ゆくさき)も皇御孫命(すめみまのみこと)の御世(みよ)を手長(たなが)の大御世(おほみよ)と、湯津石村(ゆついはむら)の如(ごと)く伊波比依佐期奉(いはひよさしまつ)り、茂御世(いかしみよ)の足御世(たらしみよ)に福奉(さきはへまつ)り仕奉(つかへまつ)る、親王(みこたち)・諸王(おほきみたち)・諸臣(まへつぎみたち)・百官人等(もものつかさのひとたち)を、弥高(いやたか)に弥広(いやひろ)に伊加射八桑枝(いかしやぐはえ)の如(ごと)く令立栄給(たちさかえしめたま)ひ、

kaku tsukahematsuruni yorite, imamo yukusakimo sumemimanomikotono miyowo tanagano ohomiyoto, yutsuihamurano gotoku ihahiyosashimatsuri, ikashimiyono tarashimiyoni sakihahematsuri tsukahematsuru, mikotachi ohokimitachi mahetsugimitachi momonotsukasanohitotachiwo, iyatakani iyahironi ikashiyaguhaeno gotoku tachisakaeshimetamahi,

天下泰平(あめのしたたひらか)に、公民等(おほみたから)を守(まもり)給(たま)ひ恵(めぐみ)給(たま)へと、恐(かしこ)み恐(かしこ)みも称辞竟奉(たたへごとをへまつ)らくと白(まを)す。

amenoshitatahirakani, ohomitakarawo mamori tamahi megumi tamaheto, kashikomi kashikomimo tatahegotowohematsurakuto mawosu.

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.

← All prayers and sutras