gs which each has it in his
power to bestow are to be mentioned in a few words, and they are
not to be annoyed with greedy petitions, for the Mikado in his
palace offers up petitions daily on behalf of his people, which
are far more effectual than those of his subjects.

Rising early in the morning, wash your face and hands, rinse out
the mouth and cleanse the body. Then turn toward the province of
Yamato, strike the palms of the hands together twice, and
worship, bowing the head to the ground. The proper posture is
that of kneeling on the heels, which is ordinarily assumed in
saluting a superior.

PRAYER.

From a distance I reverently worship with awe before Ame no
Mi-hashira (Heaven-pillar) and Kuni no Mi-hashira
(Country-pillar), also called Shinatsu-hiko no kami and
Shinatsu-hime no kami, to whom is consecrated the Palace built
with stout pillars at Tatsuta no Tachinu in the department of
Heguri in the province of Yamato.

I say with awe, deign to bless me by correcting the unwitting
faults which, seen and heard by you, I have committed, by
blowing off and clearing away the calamities which evil gods
might inflict, by causing me to live long like the hard and
lasting rock, and by repeating to the gods of heavenly origin
and to the gods of earthly origin the petitions which I present
every day, along with your breath, that they may hear with the
sharp-earedness of the forth-galloping colt.

To the common people the sun is actually a god, as none can doubt who
sees them worshipping it morning and evening. The writer can never
forget one of many similar scenes in T[=o]ki[=o], when late one
afternoon after O Tent[=o] Sama (the sun-Lord of Heaven), which had been
hidden behind clouds for a fortnight, shone out on the muddy streets. In
a moment, as with the promptness of a military drill, scores of people
rushed out of their houses and with faces westward, kneeling, squatting,
began prayer and worship before the great luminary. Besides all the
gods, supreme, subordinate and local, there is in nearly every house the
Kami-dana or god-shelf. This is usually over the door inside. It
contains images with little paper-covered wooden tablets having the
god's name on them. Offerings are made by day and a little lamp is
lighted at night. The following is one of several prayers which are
addressed to this kami-dana.

Rev