Read, reflect, pray
Suga Shrine festival prayer
須賀神社例祭(八坂同之)
An 1897 prayer praising Susanoo’s defeat of the eight-headed serpent and the song at Suga, and asking for peace in daily life and well-being.
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.
Before Takehaya Susanoo no Mikoto, whose name we speak with awe, dwelling in this village and worshiped at Suga Shrine,
[name], your attendant, purifies and restrains the self, bows deeply, and respectfully speaks.
The great kami is strong in heart and valiant.
In the distant age of the kami, at Torikami in Izumo Province, you slew the great serpent with eight heads and eight tails,
removing what obstructed this world where people live.
Coming to Suga, you said, ‘My heart is refreshed.’
You built a palace, lived with Kushinadahime no Mikoto, and composed the song beginning ‘Eightfold clouds rise.’
You also presented the Ame-no-Murakumo sword to Amaterasu Ōmikami.
We honor your noble, mighty work for the world and respectfully remember your achievements.
As we have always done, this year we appoint [year, month and day in the Meiji era] as the annual festival day.
Those born and raised here have brought luxuriant sakaki trees dug from the deep mountains and stretched a sacred rope before you.
For the robes we offer, we have prepared beautiful, brightly shining cloth.
For food, we heap up abundant products of sea, river, field and mountain until the bamboo vessels bend beneath them.
We perform the various duties of the festival. Please receive them peacefully.
Protect and bless the emperor’s reign, that it may be peaceful and abundant.
May the men and women of this land under your care live without discord,
not be led astray by other lands’ different religions, and be free from illness and trouble.
Protect them, keeping their hearts pure and their bodies healthy, and grant grace and blessing. 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.
本文
此の里に鎮座して須賀神社と斎ひ奉る掛も畏き建速素盞鳴命の大前に
kono satoni shizumarimashite sugakamuyashiroto ihahi matsuru kakemakumo kashikoki takehayasusanowonomikotono ohomaheni
何某斎ひ回り清め回り頂突奉りて言はまくも畏けれど
nanigashi ihahi meguri kiyome meguri nukatsuki matsurite ihamakumo kashikokeredo
大神は御心建く雄々しく坐して
ohokamiha mikokoro takeku wowoshiku mashite
神代の昔出雲国なる鳥上の地に八俣の大蛇を切り屠りて
kamiyono mukashi izumonokuninaru torikamino tokoroni yamatano worochiwo kiri hofurite
顕代の妨害を除き給ひ
utsushiyono samatagewo nozoki tamahi
須賀の地に到り坐して我が心清々しと宣り給ひて
sugano tokoroni itari mashite waga kokoro sugasugashito nori tamahite
御殿を立て給ひ櫛稲田媛命と住み給ひて八雲立の歌を詠み給ひ
miarakawo tate tamahi kushiinadahimenomikototo sumi tamahite yakumotatsuno utawo yomi tamahi
又天叢雲剣を天照大御神に献らせ給ひて
mata amenomurakumonotsurugiwo amaterasuohomikamini tatematsurase tamahite
世に功しく坐しける其大御稜威を崇め敬ひ其大御功績を偲び尊み
yoni isawoshiku mashikeru sono ohomiitsuwo agame wiyamahi sono ohomiisawowo shinobi tafutomi
何時はあれども今茲明治の何年何月何日を毎年の御祭日と祝定めて
itsuhaaredomo ima kore meijino nannen nangatsu nannichiwo toshinohano mimatsuribito ihahisadamete
産子の諸人等奥山の五百枝賢木を堀り持来て大前に神縄引亘し
ubukono morohitora okuyamano ihoesakakiwo hori mochikite ohomaheni shimenaha hikiwatashi
奠る御衣は明妙照妙
tatematsuru misoha akarutahe terutahe
御饌は海川野山の雑々の物を折竹のとををに置高成して
mikeha umikahanoyamano kusagusano monowo woritakenotowowoni okitakanashite
雑々の神事仕奉らくを平に安に聞食して
kusagusano kamiwaza tsukahematsurakuwo tahirakani yasurakani kikoshimeshite
皇が大御代を安御代の足御代と守り幸へ
sumeraga ohomiyowo yasumiyono tarumiyoto mamori sakihahe
敷座る産子の男女は己が乖々令有不給
shikimaseru ubukono wotokowominaha onoga mukimuki arashime tamahazu
他国の異教に惑はさるる事无く病しき事无く煩はしき事无く
adashikunino kotowoshiheni madohasaruru koto naku yamashiki koto naku wazurahashiki koto naku
心清く身健に守り恵み幸へ給へと畏み畏みも白す
kokoro kiyoku mi sukoyakani mamori megumi sakihahe tamaheto 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.