Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Prayer for Raising the Ridge of a Home (1897)

人家上棟祭じんかじょうとうさい

A historical model thanking the named building kami for safe construction and asking that the ridge, beams, nails and wedges remain firm.

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.

An independent rendering of this historical model. Its period institutions and ritual details are not a universal present-day prescription.

Before Yafune Toyoukehime, Taokihooi and Hikosashiri, the carpenters offer thanks. Through the kami’s blessing they have worked morning and evening and completed the building without errors in the marking lines or mishaps with the adze. “Such-and-such” is the model’s placeholder for a person’s name.

At this good day and hour we perform the ridge-raising rite and present sake, food, bows and arrows, and sacred offerings. We ask the kami to receive them peacefully and graciously.

We pray that the pillars, ridge, wall plates and beams of this roofed building will not shift, shake or creak; that its firmly driven nails and wedges will not loosen; and that the kami will protect and bless it to endure for ages.

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.

上棟の感謝と家の守り（じょうとうのかんしゃといえのまもり）

掛（か）けまくも畏（かしこ）き屋船豊受日売命（やふねとようけひめのみこと）手置帆負命（たおきほおいのみこと）彦狭知命（ひこさしりのみこと）の大前（おおまえ）に大工何某等（たくみなにがしら）厚（あつ）き恩頼（みたまのふゆ）を蒙（こうむ）りて朝夕（あさゆう）に労（いたづ）き営（いそし）み打墨縄敷（うちすみなわはえ）違（たが）う事（こと）無（な）く釿（ちょうな）の過事（あやまち）無（な）く造建竟（つくりたておえ）ぬ礼（いや）び拝（おろが）み畏（かしこ）み畏（かしこ）みも白（もう）さく。

kakemakumo kashikoki yafunetoyoukehimenomikoto taokihooinomikoto hikosashirinomikotono oomaeni takuminanigashira atsuki mitamanofuyuwo koumurite asayuuni itazuki isoshimi uchisuminawahae tagau koto naku chounano ayamachi naku tsukuritateoenu iyabi orogami kashikomi kashikomimo mousaku.

今日（きょう）の吉日（よきひ）の吉時（よきとき）に上棟（むねあげ）の祭（まつり）仕奉（つかえまつ）るの御酒御饌弓矢幣帛（みきみけゆみやみてぐら）捧奉（ささげまつ）らくを平（たいら）けく安（やす）らに聞食（きこしめ）し。

kyouno yokihino yokitokini muneageno matsuri tsukaematsuruno mikimikeyumiyamitegura sasagematsurakuwo tairakeku yasurani kikoshimeshi.

天築立（あまつきた）てる柱（はしら）取葺（とりふ）ける棟桁梁（むねけたはり）の錯此動（たがいゆるぎ）鳴事（なること）無（な）く打堅（うちかた）め多（た）る釘楔（くぎくさび）も緩（ゆる）び無（な）く千代常磐（ちよときわ）に守（まも）り給（たま）い幸（さきわ）え給（たま）えとの畏（かしこ）み畏（かしこ）みも白（もう）す。

amatsukitateru hashira torifukeru muneketaharino tagaiyurugi narukoto naku uchikatame taru kugikusabimo yurubi naku chiyotokiwani mamori tamai sakiwae tamaetono kashikomi kashikomimo mousu.

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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