Preliminary purification is indeed expected before the recitation of the Nakatomi Purification Prayer, especially in formal or traditional contexts. At the most basic level, this takes the form of physical cleansing, such as washing the hands and rinsing the mouth at a purification basin before approaching the sacred space. In some settings, this may be deepened into more extensive ablutions with water, understood as a way of removing impurity from the body. Clean clothing is also emphasized, and in ritual contexts priests will wear garments that have themselves been ritually purified. Such attention to bodily cleanliness reflects the broader Shinto intuition that spiritual clarity is inseparable from physical order and purity.

Alongside these outward acts, there is an equally important inner preparation. Practitioners are expected to calm the mind, cultivate a respectful and focused attitude, and set a sincere intention before beginning the recitation. Silence or reverent speech is maintained, and one stands or sits with composure, often oriented toward a sacred direction or the inner sanctuary where the kami are enshrined. This interior purification of thought and feeling is regarded as a way of aligning the heart with the meaning of the words that will be spoken, so that the prayer does not become a mere formality.

In more formal rites, additional acts of purification may precede the prayer itself. A priest may perform oharai, using a purification wand to symbolically sweep away defilement, or salt may be employed for purification of the body or the space. Some traditions also make use of simpler purification prayers before the Nakatomi text, layering one act of harae upon another. Even when recited privately and without elaborate ceremony, however, the expectation remains that at least basic bodily cleansing and a reverent, collected state of mind should be established beforehand.