Read, reflect, pray
Kami of the Great Way
大道神祇
A text in the 1911 Shintō Ōharai Zenshū anthology. It is presented as a historical reading, not the current ritual of every shrine or temple.
English meaning and source text
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.
We respectfully welcome the kami and bow once again.
Great kami and small kami, whose very names we speak with awe, manifesting and dwelling in the more than sixty provinces of Japan’s fertile reed-plain land:
the venerable kami of five generations in the divine age, the thirty-two kami accompanying the heavenly descent, and the 3,132 kami listed or unlisted, above or below the register:
especially the eight kami of spirit-pacification worshiped in the palace, the guardian spirits, those within and beyond the capital, on mountains and at their feet, and those of Ise’s Inner and Outer Sanctuaries and their associated shrines.
In particular we call toward the unseen sacred dwelling of this province’s tutelary kami and this place’s birthland kami.
We invite you and ask for purification because, though we intend to practice restraint and strive sincerely,
various circumstances may bring unexpected contact with defilement, and through actions, sight, speech or foolish thoughts we may incur faults and calamities of disbelief, neglect or impurity.
Please purify away whatever obstructs the prayer we offer now.
By your manifesting power, drive wrong, ill fortune and offence far away into the broad sea where many currents pass.
Many kami whom we invite to this place:
open the heavenly rock door, part the many-layered clouds, ascend the summits of high and low mountains, part the mountain mist and hear us: thus we praise you.
Further, we offer these words.
Long ago, when this country first opened, the land floated like oil upon water.
Then a being arose between heaven and earth and became a kami, named Kuninotokotachi.
Next came Kuninosatsuchi, Toyokumonu, Uhijini, Ōtonoji and Ōtomabe, Omodaru and Kashikone, and Izanagi and Izanami.
These are called the seven generations of the divine age.
Next came Amaterasu Sume Ōkami, Masakatsu Agatsu Kachihayahi Ame-no-Oshihomimi, Amatsuhiko Hono-Ninigi, Hikohohodemi, Hikonagisa Takeugaya Fukiaezu, and Kamuyamato Iwarebiko.
From these many great kami appeared.
Therefore this land is called ‘the land of the kami,’ and its way is called ‘Shintō.’
The kami following Amaterasu are named Tsukuyomi, Hiruko and Susanoo.
Among many others are the kami of the five phases and five pacifying kami, who oversee matters and offer protection.
As lights shining in heaven, the evening star is called Iwasaku, the midnight star Futsunushi, and the dawn star Nesaku in this text.
There are kami of rain and thunder, and those who shine all day in a clear sky.
They nurture all the people between heaven and earth.
The tree kami is Kukunochi; the fire kami Kagutsuchi; the earth kami Haniyamahime; the metal kami Kanayamahiko; the water kami Mizuhanome; and the grass kami Kanonohime, also called Nozuchi in this edition.
Seoritsuhime and Hayaakitsuhime govern the broad sea.
The grain kami are Ukemochi and Ukanomitama, written 稲蒼魂 in this edition.
Takuhatachijihime began the weaving of clothing.
Taokihooi and Hikosashiri began the building of houses.
The wind kami are Shinatobe and Shinatsuhiko.
The mountain kami is Ōyamatsumi.
The boundary kami guards travel upon the roads.
Funadama guards ships.
Ōta guards lifespan and good fortune.
Toyoiwamado and Kushiiwamado guard gates.
Kamunaobi and Ōnaobi purify offences and calamities.
Ōnamuchi and Sukunahikona heal illness.
Futsunushi and Takemikazuchi guard martial valor.
Omoikane guards wisdom.
Ishikoridome began the making of crafted objects.
Thus, we respectfully declare, the kami oversee all things and nurture people.
Customs transmitted from the divine age are profound and convey principles from antiquity.
Each province has a great kami at its collective shrine, governing and guarding that province.
There are thirty-six sacred seats within the palace and three within the capital: so this text states.
Source text and reading aid
Roman letters are provided for 33 of 44 lines. Readings not fully supplied in the source are left without Roman letters.
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.
謹請再拜再拜
kinjiyausaihaisaihai
掛間も畏き大日本豐葦原水穗の國六十余州に跡を埀鎭り坐す大小の神祇
kakemakumo kashikoki ohoyamatotoyoashiharamizuhono kuni rokujifuyoshiuni atowo tareshizumari mashimasu daiseuno jingi
神世に五代の尊神天孫降臨供奉三十二神式內式外案上案下三千一百三十二神
jinseini itsuyono sonjin tensonkaurin gubu sanjifunishin shikinai shikige anjiyau ange sanzen itsupiyaku sanjifunishin
殊には宮中に祭り奉る鎭靈八神の始守護鎭り座す靈神洛中洛外山上山下伊勢內外兩宮攝社末社
kotoniha kiuchiuni matsuri tatematsuru chinreihachijinno hajime mamorishizumari masu reishin rakuchiurakuguwai sanjiyausange isenaigeriyauguu setsushiyamatsushiya
別けては當國氏の神當所產神の冥道靈場を奉動り
waketeha taugokuujino kami taushiyoubunokamino miyaudaureijiyauwo ugokashitatematsuri
請招し祓申し清申すの形狀は精進の誠を致すと雖も
kaushiyaushi harahimaushi kiyomemausuno katachiha shiyaujinno makotowo itasuto ihedomo
緣に觸れ不慮の穢氣不淨行觸來觸目借口借愚意にして犯すらん所の不信懈怠不淨等の咎祟有つて
唯今祈禱奉る所の妨と成るべからんをば祓申し奉清る
靈現に依て諸の不善不吉の罪事をば他方萬里の外へ荒鹽の鹽の八百道の大海原に祓ひ退け
reigenni yotsute moro〳〵no fuzenfukitsuno tsumikotowoba yomobanrino hokahe arashihono shihono yahojino ohounabarani harahi shirizoke
此座へ請招し奉る八百萬の諸の神等
konozahe kaushiyaushi tatematsuru yahoyorozuno moro〳〵no kamitachi
天の盤戸を押開き天の八重雲を伊豆の千別に千別て高山の末短山の末に登り座して高山の伊惠理短山の伊惠理を撥別けて所聞食せと稱辭竟奉る
辭別に申さく
kotowakeni mausaku
古八洲開闢の始國土浮れ漂ふ事譽へば猶水の上に浮める油の如き
干時天地の中に一の物生れり則ち神と成る國常立尊と申奉る
tokini ametsuchino nakani hitotsuno mono nareri sunahachi kamito naru kunitokotachinomikototo maushitatematsuru
次に國狹槌尊 次に豐斟渟尊 次に泥土煑尊 次に大戸道大笘邊尊 次に面足尊惶根尊 次に伊弉諾尊伊弉册尊
tsugini kunisatsuchinomikoto tsugini toyokunnunomikoto tsugini uhijininomikoto tsugini ohotonoji ohotomabenomikoto tsugini omotarunomikoto kashikonenomikoto tsugini izanaginomikoto izanaminomikoto
是を神代の七代と申奉る
次に神在す天照皇大神 次に正哉吾勝々速日天忍穗耳尊 次に天津彥火瓊々杵尊 次に彥火々出見尊 次に彥波瀲鸕鷀草不合尊 次に神日本磐余尊
從是八百萬の太神現在す
koreyori yahoyorozuno ohongami araharemashimasu
故に國を神國と云ひ道を神道と云ふ
karugayuweni kuniwo shinkokuto ihi michiwo shindauto ifu
天照皇大神次第の神月讀尊蛭子尊素戔鳴尊と申奉る
其外五行の御神五鎭神八百萬の神中にも主宰りて守給ふ神
sonohoka itsutsurano ohongami itsushizumenokami yahoyorozuno kami nakanimo tsukasadorite mamoritamafu kami
御光天に座す宵の明星は磐裂神 夜中の明星は經津主神 曉の明星は根裂神
mihikari ameni mashimasu yohino miyaujiyauha ihasakunokami yonakano miyaujiyauha futsunushinokami akatsukino miyaujiyauha nesakunokami
雨の神雷の神晴天十二時に光座す神なり
天地に所在萬民を濕玉ふ御神
ametsuchini arayuru ohontakarawo uruhoshitamafu ohonkami
木の神は句々廼馳命 火の神は軻遇突智命 土の神は埴山姫命 金の神は金山彥命 水の神は水速女命 草の神は金野姫命又は野槌尊
大海原を主宰給ふ瀨織津姫速秋津比咩神
ohounabarawo tsukasadoritamafu seworitsuhime hayaakitsuhimenokami
五穀神は保食神稻蒼魂命
gokokunokamiha ukemochinokami ukanomitamanomikoto
衣服を織始給ふは拷幡千々姫命
家を作始給ふは手置帆負命彥狹智命
ihewo tsukurihajimetamafuha teokihoohinomikoto hikosachinomikoto
風の神は級長戸邊命級長津彥命
kazeno kamiha shinatobenomikoto shinatsuhikonomikoto
山の神は大山祇命
yamano kamiha ohoyamazuminomikoto
往來を守給ふは岐の神
yukikiwo mamoritamafuha kunadono kami
船を守玉ふは舟玉の神
funewo mamoritamafuha funadamano kami
壽福を守給ふは太田神
jiyufukuwo mamoritamafuha ohotanokami
門を守玉ふは豐磐間戸命櫛磐間戸命
kadowo mamoritamafuha toyoihamadonomikoto kushiihamadonomikoto
罪祟を祈祓給ふは神直日神大直日神
病を療し給ふは大己貴命少彥名命
yamahiwo iyashi tamafuha ohonamuchinomikoto sukunahikonanomikoto
武勇を守命ふは經津主命武甕槌命
buyuuwo mamoritamafuha futsunushinomikoto takemikazuchinomikoto
智惠を守給ふは思兼命
chiwewo mamoritamafuha omohikanenomikoto
器物を作始給ふは石凝姥命
utsuhamonowo tsukurihajimetamafuha ishikoridomenomikoto
如此諸の神等萬物を主宰玉ひて蒼人民を養育給ふと恐美恐美申す
kakunogotoku moro〳〵no kamitachi yorozunomonowo tsukasadoritamahite awohitokusawo yauikushitamafuto osoremiosoremimausu
神代遺れる風儀妙にして舊きの義理を云ふ者なり
kamiyo nokoreru narahi tahenishite furukino giriwo ifu mononari
凡一國に總社として主宰守玉ふ大神
oyoso itsukokuni saushiyatoshite tsukasadorimamoritamafu ohongami
宮中の神三十六座 京中の神三座
kiuchiuno kami sanjifurokuza kiyauchiuno kami sanza
Connected kami and buddhas
These connections include figures addressed, mentioned, or associated by tradition. They do not assign a universal recitation practice.
- Amaterasu Ōmikami天照大御神
- Uka no Mitama no Ōkami宇迦之御魂大神
- Susanoo no Mikoto須佐之男命
- Tsukuyomi no Mikoto月読命
- Ōkuninushi no Ōkami大国主大神
- Izanagi no Ōkami伊邪那岐大神
- Izanami no Ōkami伊邪那美大神
- Ninigi no Mikoto瓊瓊杵尊
- Sukunahikona no Mikoto少彦名命
- Takemikazuchi no Ōkami武甕槌大神
- Futsunushi no Ōkami経津主大神
- Seoritsuhime no Kami瀬織津比売神
- Hayaakitsuhime no Kami速開都比売神
- Ishikoridome no Mikoto石凝姥命
- Omoikane no Kami思金神
- Kuni no Tokotachi no Kami国之常立神
- Hi no Kagutsuchi no Kami火之迦具土神
- Shinatsuhiko no Kami志那都比古神
- Kukunochi no Kami久々能智神
- Ōyamatsumi no Kami大山津見神
- Amatsuhitakahiko Nagisatake Ukayafukiaezu no Mikoto天津日高日子波限建鵜葺草葺不合命
- Hoori no Mikoto火遠理命
- Ōnaobi no Kami大直毘神
- Kanayamabiko no Kami金山毘古神
- Kamunaobi no Kami神直毘神
- Haniyasubime no Kami波邇夜須毘売神
- Hiruko水蛭子
- Masakatsu Akatsu Kachihayahi Ame no Oshihomimi no Mikoto正勝吾勝々速日天之忍穂耳命
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.