Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Prayer for rain

雨乞祝詞あまごひののりと

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

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, whose name we speak with awe, we offer these words. From the beginning of spring rain fell continually, and we rejoiced, hoping for abundant harvests of the crops people tend. But lately severe drought has continued for many days, until field grain and even blades of grass have withered.

So on this abundant day of flourishing life, as the morning sun rises brightly, we set out offerings of gratitude, pure sake and food abundantly like mountains, purify ourselves with reverence and pray. Hear this wish peacefully.

Let clouds suddenly cover the sky and rain fall as though heaven’s waters were poured out. Let us lead the water flowing from the mouths of valleys in your mountains into the fields as good, beneficent water. If the five grains ripen richly and autumn rice ears grow long and drooping, we will offer many sheaves of first fruits, cooked and in the ear. At the autumn festival, we bow deeply in praise, wishing that you enjoy the red-ripe ears as abundant and lasting sacred food.

Further we speak: if there are faults or mistakes among the priests and ritual attendants gathered to serve today, those bearing local duties, or any men and women, reconsider and hear them favorably in the spirit of Kamunaobi and Ōnaobi. Let us serve peacefully.

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.

掛卷(かけまく)も畏(かしこ)き其大神(そのおほみかみ)の廣前(ひろまへ)に白(まう)さく今年(ことし)春(はる)の始(はじめ)より安麻美豆(あまみづ)繼(つぎ)て降零(ふれれ)ば天下(あめのした)の公民(おほんたから)の取作(とりつく)れる奥津御歲(おくつみとし)を豊年(とよとし)に成幸給(なしさいはへたま)はんと嘉(うれし)み悅(よろこ)びし頃日(このごろ)に炎旱(ひでり)日(ひ)を經(へ)て百姓(おほんたから)の田作(たつくり)穀物(たなつもの)を始(はじめ)草(くさ)の片葉(かたは)に至(いた)るまで枯萎(かれしなえ)るが故(ゆゑ)に

kakemakumo kashikoki sonoohomikamino hiromaheni mausaku kotoshi haruno hajimeyori amamizu tsugite furereba amenoshitano ohontakarano toritsukureru okutsumitoshiwo toyotoshini nashisaihahetamahanto ureshimi yorokobishi konogoroni hideri hiwo hete ohontakarano tatsukuri tanatsumonowo hajime kusano katahani itarumade kareshinaeruga yuweni

今日(けふ)の生日(いくひ)の足日(たるひ)の朝日(あさひ)の豐榮登(とよさかのぼり)に禮代(いやしろ)の幣帛(みてぐら)由紀(ゆき)の御酒(みき)御贄(みにへ)を横山(よこやま)の如(ごと)く置足(おきたらは)して由志理(ゆしり)伊都志理(いつしり)持齋(もちゆ)まはり清(きよ)まはり祈禱申事(いのりまうすこと)の由(よし)を平(たひら)けく安(やす)らけく聞食(きこしめし)て

kefuno ikuhino taruhino asahino toyosakanoborini iyashirono mitegura yukino miki minihewo yokoyamano gotoku okitarahashite yushiri itsushiri mochiyumahari kiyomahari inorimausukotono yoshiwo tahirakeku yasurakeku kikoshimeshite

忽(たちまち)に天津御空(あまつみそら)多奈雲入(たなぐもい)り天津美津(あまつみづ)古保須(こぼす)が如(ごと)く降(ふり)て大神等(おほかみたち)の敷座(しきま)す山山(やまやま)の口(くち)より狹久那多利(さくなたり)に下給(くだしたま)ふ水(みづ)を甘水(あまきみづ)の美水(うつのみづ)と大御田(おほみた)に受(うけ)て五穀(いつくさのたなつもの)秋(あき)の垂穗(たりほ)八握穗(やつかほ)に佐加幣志米(さかへしめ)成榮給(なしさきはへたま)はば初穗(はつほ)を汁(しる)にも頴(かひ)にも八百稻(やほしね)千稻(ちしね)に引居置(ひきすゑおき)て秋(あき)の祭(まつり)に御膳(みけ)の長御膳(ながみけ)と赤丹(あかに)の穗(ほ)を神顏(かんかび)に聞食(きこしめせ)と言祝奉(ことほぎまつ)る吉事(よごと)を頸根衝拔(うなねつきぬき)烏呂餓美(をろがみ)て稱辭竟奉(たたへごとをへまつ)ると恐(おそれ)み恐(おそれ)みも申(まう)す

tachimachini amatsumisora tanagumoiri amatsumizu kobosuga gotoku furite ohokamitachino shikimasu yamayamano kuchiyori sakunatarini kudashitamafu mizuwo amakimizuno utsunomizuto ohomitani ukete itsukusanotanatsumono akino tariho yatsukahoni sakaheshime nashisakihahetamahaba hatsuhowo shirunimo kahinimo yahoshine chishineni hikisuweokite akino matsurini mikeno nagamiketo akanino howo kankabini kikoshimeseto kotohogimatsuru yogotowo unanetsukinuki worogamite tatahegotowohematsuruto osoremi osoremimo mausu

辭別(ことわけ)て白(まう)さく今日(けふ)集侍(うごなはりはんべ)る神主(かうなし)祝部等(はふりら)を始(はじめ)刀禰(とね)男女(をとこをみな)に至(いた)るまで咎過(とがあやまち)有(ある)をば神直備(かんなをひ)大直備(おほなをひ)に見直(みなほ)し聞直座(ききなをしまし)して平(たひら)けく安(やす)らけく令奉仕給(つかへまつらしめたま)へと恐(おそれ)み恐(おそれ)みも申(まう)す

kotowakete mausaku kefu ugonaharihanberu kaunashi hafurirawo hajime tone wotokowominani itarumade togaayamachi aruwoba kannawohi ohonawohini minahoshi kikinawoshimashishite tahirakeku yasurakeku tsukahematsurashimetamaheto osoremi osoremimo mausu

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.

← All prayers and sutras