The Nakatomi Purification Prayer, though historically associated with priestly lineages and formal shrine ceremonies, is not confined exclusively to ordained clergy. Within ritual settings such as major purification rites, it is typically the priest who gives voice to this norito, drawing on training in pronunciation, posture, and ritual comportment. This liturgical context highlights the prayer’s classical dignity and the specialized role of the officiant. Yet the existence of a formal priestly performance does not imply a prohibition on others engaging with the text.

Lay practitioners are indeed able to recite the Nakatomi Purification Prayer, especially as a means of personal spiritual purification. Many approach it as a devotional practice, using printed versions or other accessible texts, and regard sincerity of heart and intention as central to its value. While some may see the priest’s training and spiritual authority as lending a particular efficacy in public rites, the prayer itself is not restricted by ordination. In this way, the norito functions both as a formal liturgical text and as a vehicle for individual inner cultivation.

For those outside the priesthood, a respectful and studied engagement with the prayer is often emphasized. Practitioners may seek to understand its meaning and language more deeply before incorporating it into regular practice, treating the text not merely as a formula but as a living expression of purification. Guidance from shrines or teachers on pronunciation and significance can support this process, allowing the lay recitation to resonate more fully with the tradition from which it arises. In such a setting, the prayer becomes a bridge between the solemnity of official ritual and the intimate work of personal spiritual refinement.