Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Example Prayer for a Local Tutelary Deity’s Festival (1897)

産土神例祭一例うぶすながみれいさいいちれい

A historical model of a community festival, with offerings, sacred music, gratitude and petitions for the village. Names and dates remain the original placeholders.

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.

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

Before the deity who has presided over this village through the generations, enshrined in a quiet sanctuary with firmly planted pillars where the morning and evening sun shines, the serving officiant respectfully speaks. Place names, the deity’s name and the officiant’s name are placeholders in the original.

The model gives a date in the Meiji era as the yearly festival day and describes a three-day celebration, for which the local community has prepared early. The era name and festival duration belong to this historical model.

At the gates, torii and around the shrine, sacred bamboo is erected, fiber streamers hung on sakaki, sacred ropes stretched and offerings arranged. Textiles and offerings cooked from freshly polished rice are presented with song and dance.

Sweet sake, mild and pungent greens from the fields, fish large and small, seaweed from offshore and the shore, and seasonal fruits are among the abundant offerings arranged.

Sacred music and the maidens’ dance are performed, decorated objects brought out, and drums, flutes, song and dance offered to gladden the deity’s heart. The prayer asks that all be graciously received.

It prays for a long, stable imperial reign now and in the future; for peace extending to mountain recesses and island headlands; and for the well-being of princes, nobles, ministers and officials. This portion reflects the court-centered form of the period prayer.

It asks that service to the imperial court flourish like abundant mulberry branches, and that crops grown by people throughout the land, from the five grains to each blade of grass, escape destructive wind and water and ripen richly.

It asks the deity to protect every member born into the community, without omission, free of calamities attributed to heavenly deities, and that each may work diligently at their livelihood as the place grows increasingly prosperous.

It asks for the peace of the serving priests and their households, for disasters to be kept far away before they arise, and for protection by night and day. Bowing low like quails and sitting humbly together like a flock of sparrows, the worshippers conclude their reverent praise.

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.

産土神の例祭を祝う(うぶすながみのれいさいをいわう)

是(これ)の何郡何(なにのこおりなに)の里(さと)は朝日(あさひ)の直刺(たださす)処(ところ)夕日(ゆうひ)の伊照(いてらす)処(ところ)の大宮柱太(おおみやばしらふと)しく立(た)て静宮(しづみや)に鎮(しづま)り給(たま)いて世々(よよ)此里(このさと)を領坐(うしはきま)す掛(か)けまくも畏(かしこ)き何大神(なにのおおかみ)の大前(おおまえ)に仕奉(つかえまつ)る神官何某(かむつかさなにがし)畏(かしこ)み畏(かしこ)みも白(もう)さく。

koreno naninokoorinanino satoha asahino tadasasu tokoro yuuhino iterasu tokorono oomiyabashirafutoshiku tate shizumiyani shizumari tamaite yoyo konosatowo ushihakimasu kakemakumo kashikoki naninoookamino oomaeni tsukaematsuru kamutsukasananigashi kashikomi kashikomimo mousaku.

今(いま)いや明治何年何月何日(めいじなにとしなにつきなにのひ)は毎年(としごと)の御祭日(みまつりび)なるを以(もち)て三日(みか)の御祭(みまつり)仕奉(つかえまつ)るの氏子産子(うじこうぶこ)の輩(ともがら)は夙(と)くも其設(そのもうけ)を営(いとな)み。

imaiya meijinanitoshinanitsukinaninohiha toshigotono mimatsuribinaruwo mochite mikano mimatsuri tsukaematsuruno ujikoubukono tomogaraha tokumo sonomoukewo itonami.

御門鳥居(みかどとりい)及(およ)び大宮(おおみや)の回里(もとおり)に忌竹(いみだけ)を立(た)て真榊(まさかき)に由布取垂(ゆうとりし)で天大御縄小御縄(あめのおおみなわおみなわ)引亘(ひきわた)し千緒高緒立列(ちおたかおたてつら)ね奉(たてまつ)る幣帛(みてぐら)は明妙照妙和妙荒妙(あかるたえてるたえにぎたえあらたえ)の新磨(にいすり)の米(よね)以(もち)て炊(かし)ぎたる宇豆(うづ)の大御饌(おおみけ)歌(うた)い津(つ)つ舞(ま)い津(つ)つ。

mikadotorii oyobi oomiyano motoorini imidakewo tate masakakini yuutorishide amenooominawaominawa hikiwatashi chiotakaotatetsurane tatematsuru miteguraha akarutaeterutaenigitaearataeno niisurino yone mochite kashigitaru uzuno oomike utai tsutsu mai tsutsu.

天甜酒(あまのたむざけ)大野原(おおぬはら)に生出(おいいづ)る物(もの)は甘菜辛菜(あまなからな)青海原(あおうなはら)に生(お)る物(もの)は鰭(はた)の広鰭(ひろはた)の狭(さ)奥津海藻菜(おきつめ)辺津海藻菜(へつめ)時(とき)の菓(このみ)に至(いた)る祝(はふり)も繋(か)け置足(おきたら)わし。

amanotamuzake oonuharani oiizuru monoha amanakarana aounaharani oru monoha hatano hirohatano sa okitsume hetsume tokino konomini itaru hafurimo kake okitarawashi.

天御神楽(あまみかぐら)八少女(やおとめ)の舞仕奉(まいつかえまつ)り又飾物(またかざりもの)を引出(ひきい)でて天鼓打笛吹謡(あまつづみうちふえふきうたい)て踊(おど)り享(まつ)る神慮(みこころ)を和(なご)め奉(まつ)らくを平(たいら)けく安(やす)けく所聞食受給(きこしめしうけたま)いて。

amamikagura yaotomeno maitsukaematsuri matakazarimonowo hikiidete amatsuzumiuchifuefukiutaite odori matsuru mikokorowo nagome matsurakuwo tairakeku yasukeku kikoshimeshiuketamaite.

今(いま)も往前(ゆくさき)も天津日嗣(あまつひつぎ)の高御座(たかみくら)に顕津御神(あきつみかみ)の天下所知食(あめのしたしろしめ)す皇美麻命(すめみまのみこと)の大御世(おおみよ)を足永(たらなが)の御世(みよ)の堅磐(かきわ)に常磐(ときわ)に斎奉(いわいまつ)り国中(くぬち)には道速振(ちはやぶ)る荒振事(あらぶること)無(な)く山(やま)の奥島(おくしま)の岬(さき)に不落(おちず)令治坐給(をさめしめたま)い親王諸王諸臣等(みこおおきみまえつぎみたち)を始(はじ)め仕(つか)う仕(つか)える百官(もものつかさ)の人等(ひとら)を平(たいら)に安(やす)に守給(まもりたま)いて。

imamo yukusakimo amatsuhitsugino takamikurani akitsumikamino amenoshitashiroshimesu sumemimanomikotono oomiyowo taranagano miyono kakiwani tokiwani iwaimatsuri kunuchiniha chihayaburu araburukoto naku yamano okushimano sakini ochizu wosameshimetamai mikoookimimaetsugimitachiwo hajime tsukau tsukaeru momonotsukasano hitorawo tairani yasuni mamoritamaite.

天皇我(すめらが)大朝廷(おおみかど)に茂(いかし)の八桑枝(やくわえ)の如(ごと)く立栄(たちさか)え令仕奉給(つかえまつらしめたま)い四方(よも)の国(くに)の蒼生等(あおひとくさら)が取作(つく)れる五穀(いつくさ)を始(はじ)め天草(あまくさ)の片葉(かきは)に至(いた)る作(つく)の作物(つくりもの)を悪風荒水(あしきかぜあらきみず)に不令会給(あわせしめたまわず)八束穂(やつかほ)の茂穂(いかしほ)に成幸給(なしさきわいたま)い。

sumeraga oomikadoni ikashino yakuwaeno gotoku tachisakae tsukaematsurashimetamai yomono kunino aohitokusaraga tsukureru itsukusawo hajime amakusano kakihani itaru tsukuno tsukurimonowo ashikikazearakimizuni awaseshimetamawazu yatsukahono ikashihoni nashisakiwaitamai.

大神(おおかみ)の敷坐(しきま)す此里(このさと)に生出(おいいづ)る氏子産子等(うじこうぶこら)を漏事(もるること)無(な)く堕事(おつること)無(な)く守給(まもりたま)い祐給(たすけたま)いて天神(あまつかみ)の枉事不令有(まがごとあらしめず)其持分(そのもちわけ)る家業(なりわい)をも勤(いそ)み結(はたら)きて弥向栄(いやむかえ)に立栄(たちさかえ)の繁(しげ)きはぶる地(ところ)となり幸給(さきわいたま)い。

ookamino shikimasu konosatoni oiizuru ujikoubukorawo morurukoto naku otsurukoto naku mamoritamai tasuketamaite amatsukamino magagotoarashimezu sonomochiwakeru nariwaiwomo isomi hatarakite iyamukaeni tachisakaeno shigekihaburu tokorotonari sakiwaitamai.

此御社(このみやしろ)に仕奉(つかえまつ)る神司等(かむつかさら)我家内(わがやぬち)安(やす)く穏(おだい)に諸(もろもろ)の災(わざわい)は不萌(きざさ)ず前(さき)に遠(とお)く令避給(さけしめたま)いて夜(よ)の守(まもり)日(ひ)の守(まもり)に護(まも)り幸(さきわ)え給(たま)わんと祈(の)み白(もう)す事(こと)の由(よし)を平(たいら)けく安(やす)けく所聞食(きこしめ)し鶉成伊這回(うづらなすいはいもとお)り村雀(むらすずめ)宇須々岐利居(うすすぎりい)て畏(かしこ)み畏(かしこ)みも称辞竟奉(たたえごとおえまつ)らくと白(もう)す。

konomiyashironi tsukaematsuru kamutsukasara wagayanuchi yasuku odaini moromorono wazawaiha kizasazu sakini tooku sakeshimetamaite yono mamori hino mamorini mamori sakiwae tamawanto nomi mousu kotono yoshiwo tairakeku yasukeku kikoshimeshi uzuranasuihaimotoori murasuzume ususugiriite kashikomi kashikomimo tataegotooematsurakuto 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.

← All prayers and sutras