Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Ground-Pacification Prayer — 1897 edition

地鎮祭（1897年刊本）ぢちんさい・せんはっぴゃくきゅうじゅうななねんかんぽん

A historical house-building prayer addressed to Haniyasuhiko and the local guardian kami. Its language expresses wishes for safe construction and lasting protection; it is not a modern shrine’s prescribed ceremony.

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.

We mark and purify this ground with sacred bamboo, rope and sakaki. We humbly address Haniyasuhiko and the local guardian kami who governs this place.

A named person has chosen this place as a lasting home, cleared the grass and leveled the soil. We offer sake, food and plentiful products of the sea, rivers, fields and mountains. Please receive them peacefully.

Let the foundations remain firm and the pillars unmoving. Protect this home from storms, floods, earthquakes and fire, and preserve it in lasting well-being. We humbly make this request.

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.

忌竹（いみたけ）に神縄（しめなは）引回（ひきめぐら）し、真榊（まさかき）指立（さした）て、此（こ）の地内（ところ）を厳（いつ）の磐境（いはさか）と祓清（はらひきよ）めて、掛巻（かけまく）も畏（かしこ）き埴安彦大神（はにやすひこのおほかみ）、此里（このさと）を領（うしはき）坐（ま）す産須那大神（うぶすなのおほかみ）を慎（つつし）み拝（をろが）み、畏（かしこ）み畏（かしこ）みも白（まを）さく。

imitakeni shimenaha hikimegurashi, masakaki sashitate, kono tokorowo itsuno ihasakato harahikiyomete, kakemakumo kashikoki haniyasuhikonoohokami, konosatowo ushihaki masu ubusunanoohokamiwo tsutsushimi worogami, kashikomi kashikomimo mawosaku.

何某（なにがし）い、是（これ）の処（ところ）を千代（ちよ）の往処（すみか）と選定（えらびさだ）めて、新（あらた）に家（いへ）を建（た）てむと、麁草（あらくさ）苅退（かりそ）け、土（つち）蹈均（ふみなら）して、進（たてまつ）る御酒（みき）・御食（みけ）、海川野山（うみかはぬやま）の多明物（ためつもの）を凡物（ももの）に貯（たくはへ）て仕奉（つかへまつ）らくを、平（たひら）かに安（やすら）かに聞食（きこしめ）して、

nanigashii, koreno tokorowo chiyono sumikato erabisadamete, aratani ihewo tatemuto, arakusa karisoke, tsuchi fuminarashite, tatematsuru miki mike, umikahanuyamano tametsumonowo momononi takuhahete tsukahematsurakuwo, tahirakani yasurakani kikoshimeshite,

掘居（ほりすう）る礎（いしずゑ）の弥堅（いやかた）に、衝立（つきたつ）る柱（はしら）の動（うご）く事（こと）なく、暴風（あらし）・洪水（おほみづ）の難（あやふひ）なく、地震（なゐ）・香具土（かぐつち）の禍（まが）なく、堅石（かきは）に常石（ときは）に守（まも）り幸（さきは）へ給（たま）へと、畏（かしこ）み畏（かしこ）みも白（まを）す。

horisuuru ishizuweno iyakatani, tsukitatsuru hashirano ugoku kotonaku, arashi ohomizuno ayafuhinaku, nawi kagutsuchino maganaku, kakihani tokihani mamori sakihahe tamaheto, kashikomi kashikomimo mawosu.

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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