Read, reflect, pray

Words of invitation

降來要文かうらいのえうもん

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, sound explanations and source text

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English meaning and sound explanations

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.

With reverence, I welcome the deity.

Please descend and settle here, in this place without a shrine.

Peacefully and gently hear the words of purification of the divine land that I recite,

and receive my wish.

In profound awe and humility, I respectfully ask you to descend here.

Sound explanation

The recitation praises, ‘How great, how wise,’ and concludes with ‘乾・元・亨・利・貞’ and a formula meaning ‘according to the ordained rule.’

This ritual formula combines words including those of the Changes. Their relationships are not explained in this edition, so it has not been rewritten as an ordinary sentence.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for 5 of 6 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（つゝし）んで勸請（くわんじやう）し奉（たてまつ）る

御社（みやしろ）なき此所（このところ）へ降臨鎮座（かうりんちんざ）仕給（したま）ひて

miyashironaki konotokorohe kaurinchinza shitamahite

神國（しんこく）の祓可壽々（はらひかずかず）を平（たいら）げく康（やす）らげく聞食（きこしめし）て

shinkokuno harahikazukazuwo tairageku yasurageku kikoshimeshite

願（ねが）ふ所（ところ）感應納受（かんおうのうじゆ）なさしめ給（たま）へ

negafu tokoro kan'ounoujiyunasashime tamahe

誠恐誠惶（せいきやうせいくわう）降烈（かうれつ）來座（らいざ）敬白（うやまつてまうす）

seikiyauseikuwau kauretsu raiza uyamatsutemausu

大哉（おほいなるかな）賢哉（けんなるかな）乾元（けんげん）亨利貞（かうりてい）如律令（りつれいのごとし）

ohoinarukana kennarukana kengen kauritei ritsureinogotoshi

Sources and edition (1)

国立国会図書館／神誠館ほか — 神道太祓大全：神拝祝詞（1911年）第39項『降來要文』

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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