nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: Although there are several stories about the territory of Tsukuyomi, who was instructed to rule the heavens together with Amaterasu Omikami, another story claims that Tsukuyomi was ordered to control the ebb and flow of the tide (which may stem from the idea that the moon controls the tides), thus suggesting that there are several stories about the birth of the three gods.
Japanese: 支配領域については、天照大神と並んで天を治めよと指示された話が幾つかある一方で、「滄海原の潮の八百重を治すべし」と命じられたという話もあり（これは月が潮汐を支配しているという発想からきたものらしい）、複数の三神生誕の話が並列している。
English: According to Document 1 of Section 11 of Chapter 5 in "Nihon Shoki," both Amaterasu Omikami and Tsukiyomi no mikoto were ordered to rule the heavens, but later Tsukiyomi no mikoto was told by Amaterasu Omikami in the world above to meet Ukemochi no kami (the god of grains), so he (or she) visited her.
Japanese: 書紀第五段第十一の一書では、天照大神と月夜見尊がともに天を治めるよう命じられたが、のちに天上で天照から保食神（ウケモチ）と対面するよう命令を受けた月夜見尊が降って保食神のもとに赴く。
English: In trying to entertain Tsukiomi by offering him (or her) food and sake, Ukemochi no kami is said to have vomited rice from her mouth, which disgusted her guest and caused him (or her) to slaughter her with a sword.
Japanese: そこで保食神は饗応として口から飯を出したので、月夜見尊は「けがらわしい」と怒り、保食神を剣で撃ち殺してしまったという神話がある。
English: Cows, horses, silkworms and rice plants were born from her body, and this is said to be the origin of cereal grain.
Japanese: 保食神の死体からは牛馬や蚕、稲などが生れ、これが穀物の起源となった。
English: According to the myth, Amaterasu Omikami became angry, knowing the cruel deed of Tsukiyomi and condemning him (or her) as a bad god; from that day on, the sun and moon have come to live one night apart from each other.
Japanese: 天照大神は月夜見の凶行を知って「汝悪しき神なり」と怒り、それ以来、日と月とは一日一夜隔て離れて住むようになったという。
English: However, in "Kojiki" Susanoo murdered the god of food (Oogetsuhime) in the same manner (see the origin of foods in Japanese myths).
Japanese: しかし、『古事記』では同じようにして食物の神（オオゲツヒメ）を殺すのはスサノオの役目である（日本神話における食物起源神話も参照のこと）。
English: Some say this is because a myth about either one of the gods was later cited as an episode of the other.
Japanese: この相違は、元々いずれかの神の神話として語られたものが、もう一方の神のエピソードとして引かれたという説がある。
English: Tsukuyomi makes his (or her) appearance again in the era when human emperors started to rule this country on behalf of the gods.
Japanese: ツクヨミは、神々にかわって人間の天皇が支配するようになった時代にもまた現れる。
English: According to "Kenzo tenno ki (Records of Emperor Kenzo)" of Chapter 15 of "Nihon Shoki," a god of the moon who claimed Takamimusubi as his (or her) ancestor possessed a man and said, 'Worship my god of the moon, then you will have pleasures,' and the people, having heard the words, erected a shrine in Kadono no kori in Yamashiro Province and had Oshiminosukune (the ancestor of Agatanonushi of Iki) serve it.
Japanese: 書紀巻十五の顕宗天皇紀には、タカミムスビをわが祖と称する月の神が人に憑いて、「我が月神に奉れ、さすれば喜びがあろう」と宣ったので、その言葉通り山背国の葛野郡に社を建て、壱岐県主の祖・押見宿彌（オシミノスクネ）に祭らせたという記録がある。
English: This story describes the origins of Tsukiyomi Jinja Shrine in Yamashiro no kuni, and a shrine called Tsukiyomi Jinja Shrine (Iki City)-which is thought to be the Motomiya (the mother shrine) of the Tsukiyomi Jinja Shrine of Yamashiro Province (Kyoto City)-in fact exists in Iki City, where the revelation took place.
Japanese: これが山背国の月読神社の由来であり、宣託された壱岐にも月読神社(壱岐市)が存在し、山背国の月読神社(京都市)の元宮と言われている。
English: In the chapter "Shimane no kori" of "Izumo no kuni fudoki (Fudoki of Izumo Province)," Tsukutsumi no mikoto-who is considered to be a son (or daughter) of Izanagi no mikoto-made his (or her) appearance.
Japanese: 『出雲国風土記』の嶋根郡の条には、伊佐奈枳命の御子とされる「都久豆美命」が登場する。
English: Tsukutsumi' is thought to be the spirit of the moon like Wadatsumi (the god of the ocean) and Yamatsumi (the god of the mountain).
Japanese: 「ツクツミ」は、海神ワダツミや山神ヤマツミなどと同じように、月の神霊を意味するものと考えられている。
English: According to 'Katsura Sato' of "Yamashiro no kuni Fudoki" (which is incomplete), when Tsukiyomi no mikoto-who had been instructed by Amaterasu Omikami to descend to Toyoashiharano nakatsukuni-visited Ukemochi no kami (the god of whole grain), he (or she) stood against a 'Yutsu katsura' (the Japanese Judas tree); thus the place is called 'Katsura Sato.'
Japanese: 『山城国風土記』（逸文）の「桂里」でも、「月読尊」が天照大神の勅を受けて、豊葦原の中つ国に下り、保食神のもとに至ったとき、湯津桂に寄って立ったという伝説があり、そこから「桂里」という地名が起こったと伝えている。
English: Presumably because of an ancient Chinese legend that associates the moon with the Japanese Judas tree, Tsukuyomi no mikoto is said to have stood at the foot of the tree.
Japanese: これは月と桂を結びつける古代中国の伝説から月読命が桂のもとに立ったとされたのであろう。
English: In Japanese mythology the tree is associated with several gods and is thought to be the one to which gods descend, as shown in the stories of "Kojiki" about Kiji no nakime, who was sent to Amenowakahiko by Amaterasu Omikami, and Yamasachihiko, who lost his elder brother's fishhook and ended up at the palace of the ocean god.
Japanese: 日本神話において桂と関わる神は複数おり、例えば『古事記』からは、天神から天若日子のもとに使わされた雉の鳴女や、兄の鉤をなくして海神の宮に至った山幸彦が挙げられる如く、桂は神が降り立つものとされていた。
English: In the poems of "Manyoshu," Tsukuyomi is cited as 'Tsukuyomi' or 'Tsukuyomiotoko' and depicted in two ways: as a simple metaphor of the moon or as a deity.
Japanese: 『万葉集』の歌の中では、「ツクヨミ」或いは「ツクヨミヲトコ（月読壮士）」という表現で現れてくるが、これは単なる月の比喩（擬人化）としてのものと、神格としてのものと二種の性格をみせる。
English: Additionally, Tsukuyomi is described as the ruler of 'Ochimizu' (the water that turns old people young again)-which is, as pointed out by Nikolai Aleksandrovich Nevskii, Shinobu ORIKUCHI, and Eiichiro ISHIDA, it is similar to 'Sudemizu' in Okinawa, where the myth about 'the moon and immortality' is widely accepted.
Japanese: また「ヲチミヅ（変若水）」＝ヲツ即ち若返りの水の管掌者として現れ、「月と不死」の信仰として沖縄における「スデミヅ」との類似性がニコライ・アレクサンドロヴィッチ・ネフスキーや折口信夫、石田英一郎によって指摘されている。
English: Other examples of metaphors of the moon in "Manyoshu" include expressions such as 'Tsukihito (moon person)' and 'Sasarae otoko (little beautiful boy).'
Japanese: なお、万葉集中の歌には月を擬人化した例として、他に「月人」や「ささらえ壮士」などの表現も見られる。
English: According to "Shoku Nihongi," in the era of Emperor Konin, when a storm devastated the country, a seer performed augury and found that it was the wrath of Tsukuyomi no kami of Ise, so people dedicated a horse in order to calm the Aramitama (angry soul).
Japanese: 『続日本紀』には、光仁天皇の時代に、暴風雨が吹き荒れたのでこれを卜したところ、伊勢の月読神が祟りしたという結果が出たので、荒御魂として馬を献上したとある。
English: According to "Kotai jingu gishikisho (Book of Rituals and Ceremonies of Kotai Jinja Shrine)," Tsukuyomi no mikoto was worshipped at 'Tsukiyominomiya ichiin' (the main temple of Tsukiyominomiya Shrine) and described as 'Tsukuyomi. He was a figure of a man riding a horse and was clothed in purple, wearing a golden sword. He was clothed in purple, wearing a golden sword,' and Tsukuyomi, whose gender is never mentioned in "Kojiki" nor "Nihon Shoki," is depicted here as a man riding a horse and carrying a sword.
Japanese: 『皇太神宮儀式帳』では、「月讀宮一院」の祭神に、月讀命。御形ハ馬ニ乘ル男ノ形。紫ノ御衣ヲ着、金作ノ太刀ヲ佩キタマフ。紫ノ御衣ヲ着、金作ノ太刀ヲ佩キタマフ。と記しており、記紀神話では性別に関する記述の一切無い月読命が、太刀を佩いた騎馬の男の姿とされている。
English: On the other hand, examples in which the moon is regarded as female include the records of "Nihon sandai jitsuroku (Records of Three Emperors)," dated October 9, 865 and October 10, 871, where court rank was granted to '女月神' (the female god of the moon) ('Metsuki no kami' or 'Himetsuki no kami') of Izumo Province.
Japanese: 逆に月を女と見た例としては、『日本三代実録』における、貞観_(日本)7年（865年）10月9日の記事や、貞観13年（871年）10月10日に出雲国の「女月神」（「めつきのかみ」、あるいは「ひめつきのかみ」）が位階を授けられている記事が挙げられる。
English: Although this god does not appear in "Kojiki," "Nihon Shoki" or "Manyoshu," this shrine is cited as 'Mezuki no yashiro' in the 'Ogun' chapter of "Izumo no kuni fudoki (Fudoki of Izumo Province)."
Japanese: この神は記紀万葉には登場しないが、出雲国風土記の意宇郡の条には「賣豆貴社」とあり、同一の神社と考えられる。
English: However, besides the above 'Metsuki no kami,' the record of September 8, 859 carried in "Nihon sandai jitsuroku" about 'Yamashiro no kuni Tsukuyomi no kami (Tsukuyomi of Yamashiro Province)' indicates that 'Metsuki no kami' is a female god of the moon and is therefore different from Tsukuyomi.
Japanese: しかし、『三代実録』には「女月神」とは別に、貞観元年（859年）9月8日に「山城国月読神」の記事があるので、ツクヨミ命とは別系統の月神であると考えられる。
English: In "Kojiki," Tsukuyomi is referred to only as '月讀命 (Tsukuyomi no mikoto),' whereas in Chapter 5 of "Nikon Shoki" the god is cited under different names such as '月神(Tsuki no kami),' '月弓尊 (Tsukuyumi no mikoto),' '月夜見尊 (Tsukiyomi no mikoto)' and '月讀尊 (Tsukuyomi no mikoto).'
Japanese: 『古事記』では「月讀命」のみであるが、『日本書紀』第五段の本文には、「月神【一書云、月弓尊、月夜見尊、月讀尊】」と複数の表記がなされている。
English: In "Manyoshu," the moon is referred to as '月讀壮士 (Tsukuyomi otoko),' '月人壮士 (Tsukihito otoko)' and '月夜見 (Tsukiyomi).'
Japanese: 万葉集では、月を指して「月讀壮士（ツクヨミヲトコ）」、「月人壮士（ツキヒトヲトコ）」「月夜見」などとも詠まれている。
English: In "Izumo no kuni fudoki," a god called '都久豆美命 (Tsukutsumi = 月津見？ (Tsukitumi)' makes his (her) appearance.
Japanese: 風土記には、出雲国風土記に「都久豆美命」（ツクツミ＝月津見？）が登場する。
English: "Engishiki (List of Official Shrines)," which was completed at a slightly later time, lists the god worshipped at Ise Jingu Shrine as '月讀 (Tsukuyomi)' and '月夜見 (Tsukiyomi).'
Japanese: やや後世に成立した『延喜式』では、伊勢神宮に祭られている神の名として「月讀」「月夜見」の表記がなされている。
English: Additionally, the following is a list of how 'Tsukuyomi' was spelled in the "Jodai" special kana orthography (the special kana orthography of the era of Nara or earlier).
Japanese: なお、「ツクヨミ」の上代特殊仮名遣を表記ごとにまとめると、以下のようになっている。
English: As the above shows, in "Kojiki," "Nihon Shoki" and "Manyoshu" the "ミ" ("mi") of ツクヨミ (Tsukuyomi)" follows the official kana orthography of this era, but "ヨ" ("yo") of ツクヨミ (Tsukuyomi)" comes with "甲" and "乙"-indicating that "ヨ" ("yo") was pronounced in two ways, and even that the sound was replaced with "ユ" ("yu").
Japanese: 以上のように、記紀万葉においてツクヨミの「ミ」はいずれもか行上代特殊仮名遣で一致しているが、ヨの甲乙は両方にまたがり、「ユ」の例すらある。
English: The most popular theory is to connect the name to the calendar, as Tsukuyomi is about reading ("yomi") the moon ('tsuki").
Japanese: まず、最も有力な説として、ツクヨミ＝「月を読む」ことから暦と結びつける由来説がある。
English: Because the term "yomi (to read)," which means counting cycles of the moon phase, was spelled "余美" ("yomi") or "餘美" ("yomi") in Chinese characters in order to reflect the Japanese pronunciation and both were spelled "ヨ乙・ミ甲" ("yo・mi") in the Jodai special kana orthography-which conforms precisely to the spelling of "yomi" of "Tsukuyomi"--it would be safe to conclude that the name Tsukuyomi came from counting days and months.
Japanese: 上代特殊仮名遣では、「暦や月齢を数える」ことを意味する「読み」の訓字例「余美・餘美」がいずれもヨ乙類・ミ甲類で「月読」と一致していることから、ツクヨミの原義は、日月を数える「読み」から来たものと考えられる。
English: Just as "Koyomi (calendar)," for example, means reading ("yomi") dates ("ka"), Tsukuyomi means reading ("yomi") the moon ("tsuki").
Japanese: 例えば暦＝コヨミは、「日を読む」すなわち日読み＝カヨミであるのに対して、ツクヨミもまた月を読むことにつながる。
English: As is also shown in "Manyoshu," where expressions like 'reading days' or 'reading months' are used to mean measuring time (or counting days), historically speaking the cycles of the moon phase and its motion have provided a basis for calendars; and, as considered worldwide, the lunar calendar has an older origin than the solar one.
Japanese: 「読む」は、万葉集にも「月日を読みて」「月読めば」など時間（日月）を数える意味で使われている例があり、また暦の歴史を見ると、月の満ち欠けや運行が暦の基準として用いられており、世界的に太陰暦が太陽暦に先行して発生したのである。
English: As the way the month is counted, for example, '一月' (the first month, indicating January) and '二月' (the second month, indicating February) shows the old habit of counting days, the moon and the calendar have a close mutual relationship.
Japanese: 「一月二月」という日の数え方にもその名残があるように、月と暦は非常に関係が深い。
English: That is why Tsukuyomi, who counts days and months, is considered to be the measurer and ruler of time and the calendar.
Japanese: つまり、ツクヨミは日月を数えることから、時の測定者、暦や時を支配する神格であろうと解釈されている。
English: On the other hand, '月弓' (the moon and bow)-which is how Tsukuyomi is cited in "Nihon shoki"-indicates that people associated the crescent moon with a bow, being a weapon.
Japanese: 一方、『日本書紀』に見える「月弓」は、三日月と弓(武器)が結び付けられたものであろう。
English: In "Manyoshu" there is a poem (2051 of Chapter 10) that expresses the first and third phases of the moon as '白真弓' ('shiramayumi') (beautiful white bow), '月弓尊' ('Tsukuyumi no mikoto') is considered to be an alias of Tsukuyomi, having been coined under such a concept.
Japanese: 万葉集の歌には、上弦や下弦の弦月を指して「白真弓」と表現した歌があり（巻十・二〇五一）、「月弓尊」の表記は、このような発想から呼ばれた異名と考えられる。
English: Besides the above, there is a view that Tsukuyomi is the spirit or god of the moon night because his (her) alias '月夜のミ' ('Tsukiyo no mi') shows ('tsukiyo' meaning a moon night and 'mi' a spirit like Watatsumi (the god of the ocean) and Yamatsumi (the god of the mountain)).
Japanese: その他にも、海神のワタツミ、山神のヤマツミと同じく、「月夜のミ」（ミは神霊のミ）、あるいは「月夜のミ」から「夜の月の神」とする説がある。
English: Therefore, the fact that Tsukuyomi was cited under different names-with the 'ヨ' ('yo') sound being distinctively different between '月読' ('Tsukuyomi') and '月夜見' ('Tsukiyomi') as indicated with "甲" and "乙" and the parallel use of the 'ユ' ('yu') sound-and that these names appear not only in "Kojiki," "Nihon Shoki" and "Manyoshu" but also in the literature of later times like "Engishiki" without converging on any one of them, clearly shows that Tsukuyomi's divinity cannot be determined according to a single quality.
Japanese: このようにはっきりと甲乙の異なる「ヨ」や、発音の異なる「ユ」の表記が並行して用いられていること、そして記紀万葉のみならず延喜式などやや後世の文献でも数通りの呼称があり、表記がどれかに収束することなく、ヨの甲乙が異なる「月読」と「月夜見」表記が並行して用いられていることから、ツクヨミの神格は一義的に決定できるようなものではないことは明らかである。
English: Although Amaterasu omikami-the god of the sun-is considered to be the ruler of the firmament as she is depicted in "Kojiki" and "Nihon shoki" as ruling the heavens or Takamagahara, there are conflicting stories about the domain of Tukuyomi-the god of the moon; one in "Nihon shoki" says that Tukuyomi was placed in the heavens next to the sun, and another says that he (or she) was ordered to rule the country of the night or the ebb and flow of the tide.
Japanese: ツクヨミの管掌についても、『古事記』や『日本書紀』の神話において、日神たるアマテラスは「天」あるいは「高天原」を支配することでほぼ「天上」に統一されているのに対し、月神の支配領域は、『日本書紀』に「日に配べて天上」を支配する話がある一方で、「夜の食国」や「滄海原の潮の八百重」の支配を命じられている話もある。
English: The inconsistency regarding the domain of Tsukuyomi between stories indicates that his (or her) divinity has been created by interweaving different ideas and is therefore prone to variation.
Japanese: 支配領域の不安定ぶりも、ツクヨミの神格は複数の観念が統合された、不安定かつ多様なものであることを意味している。
English: Chapter 4 (670): In the rays of the moon, why don't you come and see me, as we are not so far apart with no mountain separating us?
Japanese: 巻四・六七〇月讀の光に来ませ足疾（あしひき）の山寸（やまき）隔（へ）なりて遠からなくに
English: Chapter 6 (985) Dear Tsukuyomi otoko, the god of the moon sitting in the heavens, I would give you a present if you could make tonight into five hundred nights.
Japanese: 巻六・九八五天に座す月讀壮士幣（まひ）はせむ今夜の長さ五百夜継ぎこそ
English: Chapter 7 (1075): The moon might be traveling a long way over the ocean; I wonder in the dim moonlight as evening draws on.
Japanese: 巻七・一〇七五海原の道遠みかも月讀の明（ひかり）少なき夜は更けにつつ
English: Chapter 13 (3245): With a long bridge or a high mountain that would take me to the heavens, I could get the water of Tsukuyomi and give it to my master to make him young again.
Japanese: 巻十三・三二四五天橋も長くもがも高山も高くもがも月夜見の持てる越水（をちみづ）い取り来て公（きみ）に奉りてをち得てしかも
English: Chapter 15 (3622): In the pure moonlight when the wind died down in the evening, I called a sailor and had him row a boat in the creek.
Japanese: 巻十五・三六二二月余美の光を清み夕凪に水手（かこ）の声呼び浦海漕ぐかも
English: One is to worship Tsukuyomi, the younger brother of Amaterasu Omikami, and a great example of it is Tsukiyominomiya, an annex to Kotai Jingu Shrine.
Japanese: 1つはアマテラスの弟神としてツクヨミを祀るもので、その代表例が皇大神宮別宮の月讀宮である。
English: The other group of shrines consists of those that initially worshiped a god of the moon that had no bearing to Tsukuyomi but later converged on Tsukuyomi, as it appears in myths.
Japanese: もう1つの系統は、本来はツクヨミとは関係のない月の神を祀っていたものが、後に神話に登場するツクヨミに習合した神社である。
English: Most of the Gassan Jinja shrines across this country have been transferred from that of Dewa sanzan.
Japanese: 全国にある月山神社の多くは、出羽三山の月山神社から勧請を受けたものである。
English: Additionally, Tsukuyomi Shrine, in Iki City, is thought to have honored a god of the moon that is different from Tsukuyomi and that of Dewa sanzan.
Japanese: また、壱岐市の月読神社(壱岐市)もツクヨミとは別の（さらに出羽三山とも別の）月の神を祀っていた神社と考えられている。
English: However, there is an opposing theory based on Kenzoki (Records of the Kenzo Period) of Nihon Shoki, claiming that Tsukuyomi Shrine of Iki is where Tsukuyomi worship started, but no conclusion has been reached.
Japanese: ただし、日本書紀の顕宗記の記述を元に壱岐の月読神社が全てのツクヨミを祭神とする神社の発祥地であるとする説も存在し、どちらが正しいかは結論は出ていない。
English: Tsukuyomi Shrine of Kyoto City, which belongs to Matsunoo Taisha Shrine (Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture), has been transferred from Tsukuyomi Shrine of Iki City.
Japanese: 松尾大社（京都府京都市西京区）摂社の月読神社(京都市)は壱岐の月読神社から勧請を受けたものである。
English: 巫女 (miko) or 神子 (fujo) are women who mainly serve the gods of Yamato (Japan).
Japanese: 巫女、または神子（みこ、ふじょ）とは、主として日本（大和）の神に仕える女性のこと。
English: In ancient times, their role was to get the messages of the gods (oracles) and convey them to other people, but in the modern age it has changed to a role in shrines served by women.
Japanese: 古来、神の言葉（神託）を得て他の者に伝えることが役割とされていたが、近代に入ってからは神社に於ける女性の奉仕区分として変容した。
English: According to Kunio YANAGIDA and Taro NAKAYAMA, miko can be classified into two groups: kannagi, a group of miko who served the Imperial Court; and kuchiyose, a group of miko who served the common people.
Japanese: 柳田国男・中山太郎の分類によると、概ね朝廷の神和（かんなぎ）系巫女と民間の口寄（くちよせ）系巫女に分けられる。
English: According to the religious services of ancient times, where magic rituals prevailed, people who believed the gods did not reside in one particular place performed invocations by having them possess a human body through the so-called Ritual of Possession.
Japanese: 古代の呪術的な宗教観の元では、その祭祀の形態から神の存在は特定の場所に常在する存在ではなく、神を呼ぶという行為が行われていたと考えられ、自らの身体に神を降ろす、いわゆる神がかり（神霊の憑依）の儀式が行われたとされる。
English: According to Japanese myths recorded in "Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters)" and "Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan)," Amenouzume, who is said to have danced in front of Ama no iwato (the rock cave of heaven), is the archetype of miko.
Japanese: 『古事記』・『日本書紀』に記される日本神話では、天岩戸の前で舞ったとされる天鈿女命の故事にその原型が見られる。
English: According to "Gishi wajinden (Records of the Wa people, Chronicle of Wei)," Himiko confused her people using kido (the act of calling up the devil), although the details of the kido and how she confused her people are not known; however, this shows that in ancient times magic rituals were performed by women.
Japanese: また、『魏志倭人伝』によると、卑弥呼は鬼道で衆を惑わしていたという（卑彌呼事鬼道能惑衆）記述があり、この鬼道や惑の正確な意味・内容については不明ではあるものの、古代に呪術的な儀式が女性の手によって行われた事が伺える。
English: According to "Jogangishiki," the offices of 'mikannagi' and 'Sarumeno kimi,' as undertaken by the descendants of Amenouzume, were set up under jingikan in the Heian period, and presumably the kagura (a Shinto dance and music dedicated to the gods) was performed there.
Japanese: 平安時代には神祇官に「御巫（みかんなぎ）」や天鈿女命の子孫とされた猨女君（『貞観儀式』）の官職が置かれ、神楽を舞っていたと推定されている。
English: "Shin sarugoki," written by FUJIWARA no Akihira at the end of the Heian period, lists four abilities required of miko: foretelling, kamiasobi (kagura), yotsura (playing Japanese harp) and kuchiyose (invocation); the author who saw kamiasobi wrote that it was "like angels dancing with gods."
Japanese: 平安時代末期の藤原明衡の著である『新猿楽記』には、巫女に必要な4要素として「占い・神遊・寄絃・口寄」が挙げられており、彼が実際に目撃したという巫女の神遊（神楽）はまさしく神と舞い遊ぶ仙人のようだったと、記している。
English: Over time, the kagura experienced a change so that, in addition to its traditional supernatural element, it came to be performed as a rite of prayer for the earthly wishes of requestors who sought secular benefits.
Japanese: 神楽も変容し、旧来の神がかり的要素に加えて依頼者の現世利益の祈願を併せて目的としていたとされている。
English: Associated with shugenjas (people who practice shugendo, walking around in the mountains and valleys), a more local and secular type of miko emerged, who performed prayers and invocations outside the shrine.
Japanese: 修験者と巫女が結びついて神社に常駐せずに祈祷や鎮魂を請負った、民間習俗の色彩が濃い巫女も現れるようになった。
English: This explains why, even today, the act of invocation or prayer is sometimes referred to as kagura or "performing kagura."
Japanese: 現在でも、祈祷・祈願自体を神楽、あるいは「神楽を上げる」と称する例があるのも、このことが基であると考えられる。
English: Some say that Izumo no okuni, who originated kabuki odori (kabuki dance), which gave birth to kabuki, was a miko of Izumo Taisha Shrine; this reveals how the magic rituals of ancient times have been refined and propagated as the art of public entertainment.
Japanese: 歌舞伎の元である「かぶきおどり」を生み出したとされる出雲阿国（いずものおくに）は出雲大社の巫女であったという説もあり、古代の呪術的な動作が神事芸能として洗練され、一般芸能として民間に広く伝播していった経過を伺い知る例として捉えられる。
English: Officially certified, Azusa miko earned her living by performing kuchiyose (invocations), charging 50 to 100 mon each time.
Japanese: 梓巫女（あずさみこ）は官の免許を受け、1回50文から100文の料金での口寄を稼業としていた。
English: Such a person would have a bizarre appearance, carrying a dark-stained box wrapped in a furoshiki on her back, and when serving a customer she would place it in front of her.
Japanese: 風体は異様で、黒塗りの箱を風呂敷に包んで背負い、営業時には箱を自分の前に置いて行う。
English: They used green leaves for calling up the spirit of a living thing (like the customer's cat) and koyori (twist of paper) for the soul of the dead.
Japanese: 口寄の対象が生者（たとえばペットの猫など）の場合は青葉を用い、死者の場合は紙縒（こより）を用いた。
English: She would place her arms on the box, supporting her chin, shake her rosary beads and chant spells until she descended into a state of half-sleep in order to perform the kuchiyose (invocation).
Japanese: 両肘を箱につけてあごを支え、数珠を鳴らし、呪文を唱え、半眠の状態で口寄を行った。
English: In 1871, the Ministry of Divinities set up the post of mikannagi (the post of a woman who administrated religious affairs) and designated it as the post of a woman who used to work for the Ministry of the Imperial Household as a toji (a role of taking care of the meals for the Imperial Family).
Japanese: 1871年（明治4年）には神祇省に御巫（みかんなぎ）が置かれ、宮内省の元刀自が御巫の職務に当たった。
English: In 1873, the Ministry of Religious Education banned all acts requesting oracles through the invocation conducted by miko outside the shrine.
Japanese: 民間習俗の巫女に関しては、1873年（明治6年）には神霊の憑依などによって託宣を得る行為が教部省によって全面的に禁止された。
English: This is called Miko Ban.
Japanese: ⇒s梓巫市子並憑祈祷孤下ケ等ノ所業禁止ノ件　これは巫女禁断令と通称される。
English: This ban was imposed partly because there had been an attempt to organize the shrine system through Shintoism--the ideological background of the restoration of the imperial regime--and partly because there had been a movement of Bunmei kaika (cultural enlightenment) that negated local, traditional and secular manners and customs.
Japanese: このような禁止措置の背景として、復古的な神道観による神社制度の組織化によるものである一方、文明開化による旧来の習俗文化を否定する動きの影響も伺える。
English: This ban deprived work from nearly all the miko who had offered invocations and prayer services outside the shrine, although some continued to operate in various ways through participation in traditional shrines or new schools of Shinto.
Japanese: 禁止措置によって神社に常駐せずに民間祈祷を行っていた巫女はほぼ廃業となったが、中には神社、或いは教派神道に所属することによって姿・形を変えて活動を続ける者もいた。
English: Later, Mitsuyoshi TOMITA (of Kasuga Taisha Shrine) and other miko, who stressed their importance in Shinto, pleaded to preserve the mikomai (dance performed by miko) while committing themselves to restoring their status and dance by elevating it to the realm of art.
Japanese: 後、春日大社の富田光美らが、巫女の神道における重要性を唱えて巫女舞の存続を訴えると同時に八乙女と呼ばれる巫女達の舞をより洗練させて芸術性を高める事によって巫女及び巫女舞の復興に尽くした。
English: On the other hand, Tadatomo O, who was a gakushi (musician) of the Ministry of the Imperial Household, emphasized the importance of kaguramai (Shinto dance) in religious services, citing the Japanese mythology, and composed Urayasu no mai, which marked the acceptance of his assertion.
Japanese: また、宮内省の楽師であった多忠朝は神社祭祀に於ける日本神話に基づく神楽舞の重要性を主張し、其れが認められる形で浦安の舞を制作した。
English: This dance was performed simultaneously in all the shrines across the country at Hoshuku rinjisai (occasional festivals) held as part of the Koki celebration of November 10, 1940, which commemorated 2600 years of imperial reign.
Japanese: この舞は1940年（昭和15年）11月10日に開かれる「皇紀二千六百年奉祝会」に合わせて全国の神社で行われた奉祝臨時祭にて一斉に舞われた。
English: Training sessions held throughout the country and instructions given to ensure perfect performance on that day promulgated kaguramai (Shinto dance and music) among Shinto shrines.
Japanese: 事前に全国で開かれた講習会と当日の奉奏の徹底は神社における神楽舞の普及に大きく貢献した。
English: Even after the ceremony, Urayasu no mai continued to be performed in ceremonies and rituals, giving miko official opportunities to serve in the Shinto system, which had been renewed since the Meiji Restoration.
Japanese: 臨時奉祝祭の後も浦安の舞は継続して祭儀の折に舞われるようになり、維新以降整備されてきた神社祭祀制度に於いて公式に巫女が奉仕する機会が作られたと言える。
English: In the modern age, miko are women who work for shrines mainly through the role of routinely supporting priests and occasionally performing kagura (Shinto music) and mai (Shinto dance).
Japanese: 現代日本では巫女は神社に勤務し、主に神職の補助、また神事において神楽・舞を奉仕する女性を指す。
English: They are sometimes called maihime or mikannko.
Japanese: 舞姫(曖昧さ回避)（まいひめ）・御神子（みかんこ）と呼称される場合もある。