Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Prayer to the Boundary-Guarding Kami — 1869 edition

障神祭(さへのかみのまつり)(1869年刊本(ねんかんぽん))

A historical village prayer naming Yachimatahiko, Yachimatahime and Kunado. It asks the kami to guard the crossroads and keep disease and misfortune from the village.

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 kami who guard the great crossroads like firm sacred rocks, we humbly speak.

We name Yachimatahiko, Yachimatahime and Kunado. May you neither accompany nor exchange words with things approaching from the distant nether lands.

Guard below against what passes below and above against what passes above. Protect us through night and day.

Please receive the ritual gifts set out in abundance upon the offering table. Guard the boundary firmly, so that disease and misfortune do not enter this village. 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.

大八衢(おほやちまた)に湯津磐村(ゆついはむら)の如(ごと)く塞坐(さやります)皇神等(すめがみたち)の大前(おほまへ)に、恐(かしこ)み恐(かしこ)みも白(まを)さく。

ohoyachimatani yutsuihamurano gotoku sayarimasu sumegamitachino ohomaheni, kashikomi kashikomimo mawosaku.

八衢比古神(やちまたひこのかみ)・八衢比売神(やちまたひめのかみ)・久那斗神(くなどのかみ)と御名(みな)は白(まを)して、称辞竟奉(たたへごとをへまつ)らくは、根国底国(ねのくにそこのくに)より麁(あら)び疎(うと)び来(こ)む物(もの)に、相率(あひまじこり)相口会(あひくちあへ)給(たまふ)事(こと)なくて、

yachimatahikonokami yachimatahimenokami kunadonokamito minaha mawoshite, tatahegotowohematsurakuha, nenokunisokonokuniyori arabi utobi komu mononi, ahimajikori ahikuchiahe tamafu kotonakute,

下行者(したゆかば)下(した)を守(まも)り、上往者(うへゆかば)上(うへ)を守(まも)り、夜(よ)の守(もり)・日(ひ)の守(もり)に守(もり)給(たま)ひ幸(さきはへ)給(たま)へと、

shitayukaba shitawo mamori, uheyukaba uhewo mamori, yono mori hino morini mori tamahi sakihahe tamaheto,

礼代(ゐやじろ)の幣(みてぐら)を八取(やとり)の几(つくゑ)に置(おき)たらはして進(たてまつ)る宇豆(うづ)の幣(みてぐら)を、平(たひら)けく聞食(きこしめ)して、大八衢(おほやちまた)に湯津磐村(ゆついはむら)の如(ごと)く塞坐(さやりまして)、此(こ)の某村(それのむら)には諸(もろもろ)の病(やまひ)及(また)種々(くさぐさ)の枉事(まがこと)なく、神随(かむながら)守(もり)幸(さきはへ)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。

wiyajirono mitegurawo yatorino tsukuweni okitarahashite tatematsuru uzuno mitegurawo, tahirakeku kikoshimeshite, ohoyachimatani yutsuihamurano gotoku sayarimashite, kono sorenomuraniha moromorono yamahi mata kusagusano magakotonaku, kamunagara mori sakihahe 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