Norito means “spell of celebration” and refers to incantations used in Shinto and Japanese nature worship.
While several exist, the Ooharae-no-Kotoba is the most powerful norito, transcribing the vibrations of the divine realm into sound and exerting potent influence within Japan's sacred domains.
This norito is recited daily before many shrines and personal household altars called Kamidana.
The first half concisely summarizes Earth's creation and Japanese history, covering humanity's past before purification.
The latter half prophesies that all sins will be safely cleansed through seawater purification, that purges will occur for the wicked, and that the world will then move toward normalization.
This prayer is not for personal desires or gain, but a sincere offering of gratitude for all of nature and all humanity, who are manifestations of the divine. I believe it is akin to white magic.
Until now, there have been various theories about the originator of this Spell. According to him, it was revealed to Princess Yamato, founder of the Inner Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine, while she was worshipping the rising sun atop Mount Ibuki in Shiga Prefecture.
Around the middle of Ooharae-no-kotoba, it instructs: “Recite Futonoritogoto.”
Futonoritogoto = AmaterasuOhomikami, AmaterasuOhomikami = Fullname of Sun goddess
This is the crucial part of the prayer,
where the words “AmaterasuOhomikami, AmaterasuOhomikami” further condense the first and second halves.
Specifically, it means the full name of the Sun Goddess—the only name that can be chanted without disrespect. Say it silently in your mind or whisper it twice.
This is a secret technique, known only to a select few for many years.
While reciting the entire first and second halves of the Great Purification Prayer is quite demanding, I think even those living outside Japan could try saying just this spell—lasting less than three seconds—while giving thanks to the Sun.
Ooharae Norito translation
By command of Kamurogi and Kamuromi, ancestors of the Imperial House existing in the great cosmos, the other gods were gathered time and again. After repeated discussions among the gods, it was decided that Ninigi, the descendant of Amaterasu would make the land of reed plains and rice ears a peaceful country and rule it happily. An imperial decree to that effect was proclaimed.
The land of Japan, entrusted to Ninigi, was home to deities who refused to submit to their rule. First, they repeatedly urged these deities to submit. Those who still refused and caused chaos were subdued and driven away. Finally, after calming even the rocks, stumps, and blades of grass that had previously spoken, the heavenly descendant left the throne of the great cosmos, parting the layered clouds, and descended to the earth.
He established Japan, the center and heart of the world where the sun shines brightly, as a peaceful nation to serve as a model for world peace. They erected a thick pillar as the foundation's central pillar for the palace, raised a tall chigi pole that seemed to reach the great cosmos, and built the splendid, beautiful, and radiant palace of the imperial family in harmony with the will of the gods of the great cosmos, the gods of the earth, and all the gods, and enshrined it.
The heavenly descendant resided in the palace and ruled the country peacefully. However, the people within the country, born and increasing daily, unknowingly began to commit many sins.
Therefore, following the rites of the gods of the great universe, cut the upper and lower parts of the sacred tree, place the offerings upon a stand made of sacred goldwood, cut the upper and lower parts of the sacred hemp into eight pieces, and recite the great and sacred prayer bestowed by the gods of the great universe.
Amaterasu Ohomikami
Amaterasu Ohomikami
When this prayer is chanted, the gods of the great cosmos will open the heavenly rock door, parting the surging, layered clouds to hear it.
The gods upon the earth will ascend to the peaks of every high mountain and low hill, parting the mists and haze that shroud the mountains to hear it.
By their listening, all sins, impurities, and calamities—not only of the people of this world, but of all phenomena throughout the universe—shall vanish.
It will be as if a mighty wind sweeps away layers upon layers of clouds, or as if the morning and evening winds purify the mists and hazes of dawn and dusk. Like releasing the ropes of many ships moored in a great harbor and pushing them out into the open sea, like burning the thickly growing trees as far as the eye can see and cutting them down with a sharp sickle, they purify and cleanse all sins.
From the summit of every mountain, the swift-flowing rapids of the river carry Seoritsuhime, who pushes forth all sins, impurities, and calamities, carrying them out to the great ocean.
Then, where the turbulent currents gather and swirl into a vortex, Hayakakitsuhime dwells, swallowing all sins, impurities, and calamities.
Then, Ibukidonusi, who resides at the entrance to the Land of the Dead, blows away all sins, impurities, and calamities into the Land of the Dead.
Then, Hayasasurahime who dwells in the Land of the Dead, takes upon herself all sins, impurities, and calamities, wandering and discarding them until they are all gone.
Thus, all sins, impurities, and calamities are eradicated. With reverence and awe, we humbly beseech the gods of the great cosmos, the gods upon the earth, and the eight million gods to perform this purification and cleansing.
Taka Amahara ni kamuzumari masu Sumeraga mutsu Kamuromi no mikoto mochite
Yaoyorozuno Kamitachi wo kamutsidoe ni tsudoetamai ....
高天原に神留り坐す 皇親神漏岐 神漏美の命以て 八百萬󠄄神等を神集へに集へ賜ひ 神議りに議り賜ひて 我が皇御孫命は 豊葦󠄂原水穗國を 安國と平らけく知し食󠄁せと 事依さし奉りき 此く依さし奉りし 國中に 荒󠄄振る神等をば 神問はしに問はし賜ひ 神掃ひに掃ひ賜ひて 語問ひし磐根 樹根立 草󠄂の片葉󠄂をも語止めて 天の磐座放ち 天の八重雲を 伊頭の千別きに千別きて 天降し依さし奉りき 此く依さし奉りし四方の國中と 大倭日高見国を安国と定め奉りて 下つ磐根に宮柱太敷き立て 高天原に千木高知りて 皇御孫命の瑞の御殿仕へ奉りて 天の御蔭 日の御蔭と隱り坐して 安国と平けく知ろし食さむ国中に成り出でむ 天の益人等らが 過󠄁ちを犯しけむ種種の罪事は 天つ罪み 国つ罪み 許許太久の罪出でむ 此く出でば 天つ宮事以ちて 天つ金木を本打ち切り 末打ち断ちて 千座の置座に置き足らはして 天つ菅麻を本刈り断ちて 末刈り切りて 八針に取り辟きて 天つ祝詞の太祝詞を宣れ
天照太御神 天照太御神
此く宣らば 天つ神は天の磐門を押し披きて 天の八重雲を伊頭の千別きに千別きて 聞こし食󠄁さむ 国つ神は高山の末 短山の末に上り坐して 高山たの伊褒理 短山の伊褒理を搔き別けて聞こし食さむ 此く聞こし食してば 罪と言ふ罪は在らじと 科戸の風の天の八重雲を吹き放なつ事の如く 朝󠄁の御霧 夕の御霧を 朝󠄁風 夕風の吹き払ふ事の如く 大津辺に居る大船を 舳解き放ち 艫解き放ちて 大海原に押し放つ事の如く 彼方の繁木が本を 焼鎌の敏鎌以ちて 打ち掃ふ事の如く 遺る罪は在らじと 祓へ給ひ清め給ふ事を 高山の末 短山の末より 佐久那󠄁太理に落ち多岐つ 速川の瀬に坐す 瀬織津比賣と言ふ神 大海原に持で出でなむ 此く持ち出で往なば 荒󠄄潮の潮の 八百道の八潮道の 潮の八百會に坐す 速開都比賣と言ふ神 持ち加加呑みてむ 此く加加呑みてば 気吹戸に坐す 気吹戸主と言ふ神 根國 底國に気吹き放ちてむ
此く気吹き放ちてば 根國 底國に坐す速佐須良比賣と言ふ神 持ち佐須良ひ失ひてむ 此く佐須良ひ失ひてば 罪と言ふ罪は在らじと 祓へ給ひ清め給ふ事を 天つ神 國つ神 八百萬神等共に 聞こし食せと白す