Read, reflect, pray
Ōkuninushi festival prayer: Kinoe-ne
大国主神祭(甲子祭)
An 1897 festival example directly addressing Ōkuninushi. This longer prayer is separate from the short shingo associated with Izumo.
English meaning and source text
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.
With reverence before Ōkuninushi Ōkami, whose name I speak with awe, I respectfully offer these words.
Following the command of the great kami who was your father, you pacified the world’s unruly kami with words and became Ōkuninushi.
United in heart with Sukunahikona, you exerted your strength to order the land.
For the people and domesticated animals living in this world, you established ways of treating illness.
You also began the use of medicines and charms to prevent calamity, accomplishing great works.
When the heavenly descendant, ancestor of the emperor, descended from heaven, you revered the words of the heavenly kami and ancestral kami and ceded government of the visible world.
In response to the heavenly kami’s courteous words, you withdrew beyond distant, winding paths to govern matters of the unseen world.
You settled at the Yao-gome Kitsuki sanctuary of Izumo, established as Ame-no-Hisumi-no-Miya.
As the earthly officer governing the unseen world, you rule and gather the souls of people within and beyond Japan on behalf of the heavenly kami.
We look up with reverence to your noble activity, protecting us by night and day without change from the age of the kami to the present.
From distant antiquity until now, the day of the Rat has been appointed as your festival day.
At the sacred place of worship, we stretch a sacred rope, hang yū fiber, and offer gifts: please receive them as peaceful and sufficient offerings.
May the household be calm, descendants and relatives live without discord,
and may we serve you free of illness and distress, living long and flourishing in abundance.
Kindly hear these words in which we exhaust our praise. With reverence, we offer this prayer.
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.
掛けまくも畏き大国主大神の大前を慎み敬ひ畏み畏みも白さく
kakemakumo kashikoki ohokuninushinoohokamino ohomahewo tsutsushimi wiyamahi kashikomi kashikomimo mawosaku
汝命は父大神の詔のまにまに世の荒振神等を言平和して大国主と成り給ひ
nagamikotoha chichiohokamino mikotonorinomanimani yono araburukamitachiwo kotomukeyahashite ohokuninushito nari tamahi
少彦名命と同心戮力坐して国土を経営み
sukunahikonanomikototo kokorohitotsunichikaraahase mashite kuniwo itonami
顕見蒼生の為畜産の為に病を治る方を定め給ひ
utsushikiawohitogusano tame kemonono tameni yamahiwo wosamuru katawo sadame tamahi
又薬の法禁厭の術をも始め給ひて大造なる功績の樹て給ひ
mata kusurino nori majinahino wazawomo hajime tamahite ohokinaru isawono tate tamahi
又皇孫命の天降り坐し時には天神天祖の神勅を畏み坐して現事を避り奉り給ひ
mata sumemimanomikotono amakudari mashi tokiniha amatsukami amatsumioyano mikotonoriwo kashikomi mashite utsushigotowo sari matsuri tamahi
天津神の慇懃なる神勅に依りて幽事を所知食さむと百不足八十隈手に隠り給ひ
amatsukamino nemogoronaru mikotonorini yorite kakurigotowo shiroshimesamuto momotarazu yasokumadeni kakuri tamahi
出雲の八百米杵築宮と天日隅宮と定めて鎮まり給ひ
izumono yahokome kizukinomiyato amenohisuminomiyato sadamete shizumari tamahi
幽冥の事執り坐しては大地の官と成りて海の内外の人魂を代り総統御給ひて
kakuriyono koto tori mashiteha ohotsuchino tsukasato narite umino uchitono hitodamawo kahari subeshiroshime tamahite
神代も今代変る事なく夜の守日の守に守り奉り給へる神功を仰ぎ尊み奉りて
kamiyomo imayo kaharu kotonaku yono mamori hino mamorini mamori matsuri tamaheru kamuisawowo afugi tafutomi matsurite
万世の今に至るまで子日を御祭日と定めて
yorozuyono imani itarumade nenohiwo mimatsuribito sadamete
いつの真屋に注連引延へ木綿取垂でて奠る幣帛を安幣帛の足幣帛と聞食して
itsuno mayani shime hikihahe yufu torishidete tatematsuru mitegurawo yasumitegurano tarumitegurato kikoshimeshite
家内穏に子孫の親族は各が乖々令有不給
ihenuchi odahini uminokono ukarayakaraha onoga mukimuki arashime tamahazu
病しき事无く煩はしき事无く寿長く富栄え令仕奉給へと
yamashiki koto naku wazurahashiki koto naku inochi nagaku tomisakae tsukahematsurashimetamaheto
称辞竟奉らくを平けく安けく聞食さえと畏み畏みも白す
tatahegotowohematsurakuwo tahirakeku yasurakeku kikoshimesaeto kashikomi kashikomimo mawosu
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.