地じ鎮ちん祭さい

noun

ground-breaking ceremony; purification ceremony before construction

A Shinto ceremony held before starting construction to purify the land and pray for safety. Often translated as 'ground-breaking ceremony', but it is specifically a religious ritual, not a secular event.

• 新あたらしい家いえを建たてる前まえに、地じ鎮ちん祭さいを行おこないました。

  We held a ground-breaking ceremony before building our new house.

• 地じ鎮ちん祭さいでは、神かん主ぬしが土と地ちの神かみ様さまに安あん全ぜんを祈いのります。

  At the ground-breaking ceremony, a Shinto priest prays to the land deity for safety.