Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Prayer to the crossroads kami

衢神祝詞ちまたのかみののりと

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

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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 the kami ordained from the beginning in Takamagahara, praised for the heavenly descendant, standing at great crossroads like ranks of sacred rock to guard the way, we offer these words.

We name and praise Yachimatahiko, Yachimatahime and Kunado.

Do not let us meet or exchange words with those who come from the land of roots and depths to do violent harm. Guard below when we descend and above when we ascend; protect us night and day.

As cloth offerings we prepare bright beautiful fabric, shining fabric, soft fabric and coarse fabric; we fill jars of sake to their rims and set them out. We offer grain cooked and in the ear, beasts and birds of mountain and field, great and small sea fish, and seaweed from offshore and shore, piled abundantly like mountains.

Receive these sacred offerings peacefully. Stand at the crossroads like sacred rocks, steadfastly protecting the heavenly descendant and blessing an enduring, abundant reign.

Guard peacefully the imperial princes, other princes, subjects, all officials and everyone throughout the land. The officiant proclaims your praise with the venerable prayer transmitted from heaven.

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.

高天原(たかまのはら)に事始(ことはじめ)て皇御孫之命(すめみまごのみこと)と稱辭竟奉(たたへごとをへまつ)る大八衢(おほやちまた)に湯津磐村(ゆついはむら)の如(ごと)く塞座(ふさがりま)す皇神等(すめかみたち)の前(まへ)に申(まう)さく

takamanoharani kotohajimete sumemimagonomikototo tatahegotowohematsuru ohoyachimatani yutsuihamurano gotoku fusagarimasu sumekamitachino maheni mausaku

八衢比古(やちまたひこ)八衢比賣(やちまたひめ)久那斗(くなと)と御名(みな)は申(まうし)て稱辭竟奉(たたへごとをへまつ)らく

yachimatahiko yachimatahime kunatoto minaha maushite tatahegotowohematsuraku

根國(ねのくに)底國(そこのくに)より麁(あら)び疎(うと)び來物(きたらんもの)に相率(あひしたがひ)相口會(あひくちあはせたなく)事(こと)無(な)くして下行(しもゆか)ば下(しも)を守(まも)り上往(かみゆか)ば上(かみ)を守(まも)り夜(よる)の守(まもり)日(ひ)の守(まもり)に守奉(まもりまつ)り齋奉(いはひまつ)り

nenokuni sokonokuniyori arabi utobi kitaranmononi ahishitagahi ahikuchiahasetanaku koto nakushite shimoyukaba shimowo mamori kamiyukaba kamiwo mamori yoruno mamori hino mamorini mamorimatsuri ihahimatsuri

進(たてまつ)る幣帛(みてぐら)は明妙(あかるたへ)照妙(てるたへ)和妙(にぎたへ)荒妙(あらたへ)に備奉(そなへまつ)り御酒(みき)は甕邊高知(みかのべたかしり)神腹滿雙(かみのはらみちならべ)て汁(しる)にも頴(かひ)にも山野(やまの)に住物(すむもの)は毛(け)の和物(にぎもの)毛(け)の荒物(あらもの)青海原(あをみはら)に住物(すむもの)は鰭(はた)の廣物(ひろもの)鰭(はた)の狹物(さもの)奥津海菜(おきつもは)邊津海菜(へつもは)に至(いた)るまで横山(よこやま)の如(ごと)く置所足(おきたらはし)て進(たてまつ)る

tatematsuru miteguraha akarutahe terutahe nigitahe arataheni sonahematsuri mikiha mikanobetakashiri kaminoharamichinarabete shirunimo kahinimo yamanoni sumumonoha keno nigimono keno aramono awomiharani sumumonoha hatano hiromono hatano samono okitsumoha hetsumohani itarumade yokoyamano gotoku okitarahashite tatematsuru

宇豆(うづ)の幣帛(みてぐら)を平(たひら)けく聞食(きこしめし)て八衢(やちまた)に湯津磐村(ゆついはむら)の如(ごと)く塞座(ふさがりましま)して皇御孫命(すめみまごのみこと)を堅磐(かきは)に常磐(ときは)に齋奉(いはひまつ)り茂御世(いかしみよ)に幸給(さいはひたま)へと申(まう)す

uzuno mitegurawo tahirakeku kikoshimeshite yachimatani yutsuihamurano gotoku fusagarimashimashite sumemimagonomikotowo kakihani tokihani ihahimatsuri ikashimiyoni saihahitamaheto mausu

又(また)親王等(みこおほきんだち)王臣等(まうちきんだち)百官人等(ももつかさびとたち)天下(あめのした)公民(おほみたから)に至(いた)るまで平(たひら)けく齋給(いはひたま)へと神官(かんつかさ)天津祝詞(あまつのりと)の太祝詞事(ふとのりとごと)をもつて稱辭竟奉(たたへごとをへまつ)ると申(まう)す

mata mikoohokindachi mauchikindachi momotsukasabitotachi amenoshita ohomitakarani itarumade tahirakeku ihahitamaheto kantsukasa amatsunoritono futonoritogotowomotsute tatahegotowohematsuruto mausu

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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