Changes

Often preceded in Japanese with the honorific prefix "''o''" [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%BE%A1#Japanese 御], it is a convention in Tenrikyo to write "''o-Tsutome''" in [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/japanese_hiragana.htm ''hiragana'']: おつとめ. The [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/japanese_kanji.htm ''kanji''] that is most commonly associated with the term is [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%8B%A4 勤], which is a character that means "religious service" when applied as a noun or "work for, be employed by, serve" when applied as a verb.<ref name="Spahn Hadamitzky"/>  It may be notable to add that other religious Japanese traditions also refer to some of their rites as "''tsutome''."<ref name="?"/>

The "Tsutome"<ref name="TJ"/>, as it is understood in Tenrikyo, refers to the rite that was taught by [[Nakayama Miki|Oyasama]] as a means to bring salvation into reality, which is said to be one of [[God the Parent]]'s main reasons for taking Oyasama as the [[Shrine of God]].  While there are several types of this "Tsutome," the fundamental and significant form which it takes is the Tsutome Kagura Service that is conducted with the [[Jiba]]-[[Kanrodai]] at center. This is the Tsutome that is generally referred to in Tenrikyo Scriptures and texts.  In contrast to this "Tsutome," there are the daily services (morning/evening services) that were taught as a means to express one's gratitude and pray to God.

The Tsutome is said to be a component of the "path of single-hearted salvation" along with the Sazuke. However, in contrast to the Sazuke, which was taught as a means to alleviate physical problems, the Tsutome is said to be a path (means) of manifold saving graces that help alleviate situational problems in addition to physical ones.  Further, it is taught that the Tsutome does not only alleviate physical conditions and situational problems that are merely taking place at the moment, but also invites the "marvelous salvation" of good health, rich harvests, and peace in society to allow the world to be rebuilt into the world of the [[Joyous Life]].  The Tsutome is conducted with the Jiba-Kanrodai at center every 26th of the month as either a [[Grand Service]] or [[Monthly Service]] of [[Tenrikyo Church Headquarters]]. (The Tsutome is also conducted on New Year's Day and April 18 as the [[Oyasama Birth Celebration Service]].)<ref name="Fukaya"/>

The Tsutome consists of dancing to the accompaniment of singing and nine [[musical instruments]]. The Songs accompanying the Tsutome is referred to as the [[Mikagura-uta]] (''The Songs for the Service''), one of the [[Scriptures|Three Scriptures]] of Tenrikyo.

The Tsutome is composed of two components: the "[[Kagura Service|Kagura]]" and "Teodori."

The Kagura (also referred to as the '''Kagura Service''') specifically refers to a ritual in which ten dancers—five men and five women—dance with the Jiba-Kanrodai at center while representing each of the [[Providence#Ten Aspects of God's Providence|ten aspects of God the Parent's complete providence]].  Each dancer wears a [[kagura masks|mask]] (either one of two lion masks, four men's masks, or four women's masks). Some dancers wear other specific apparel according to their position. Each dancer dances specific hand movements that symbolically express the aspect of God's providence that they have been assigned to represent. 

| Center*

| Center*

:The performers representing expression "Kagura Service" (Jpn: ''IzanagiKagura-no-Mikotozutome'' and ''Izanagi-no-Mikoto'' should be situated at かぐらづとめ) comes from the center, but fact that is impossible because wearing the Kanrodai stands theremasks are a vital part of this ritual. Instead When the word "Tsutome" (Service) is used in Tenrikyo Scriptures and texts, they perform east of ''Kumoyomi-no-Mikoto'', standing face it is generally considered to facespecifically refer to the Kagura Service.<ref>Citation needed.</ref> Scriptual expressions "[[Joyous Service]]" and "[[Salvation Service]]" are considered to be variant expressions that refer to the same Kagura Service.

The ''Teodori'' is performed after the Kagura. The ''Teodori'' is danced by six other dancers—three men and three women—in a single line. Dancers wear a black crested ''kimono'' (''montsuki''). Unlike the Kagura, they do not wear masks. The ''Teodori'' is accompanied by sections four and five of the ''Mikagura-uta'' (better known, respectively, as the [[Eight Verses of the Yorozuyo]] and the [[Twelve Songs]]). ''Yorozuyo'' and Songs One to Six comprise the second shift of the ''Tsutome'' while Songs Seven to Twelve comprise the third and final shift.

Among the forms of the Kagura Service that were taught by Oyasama, there are eleven that happen to be prayers performed for the purpose of specific blessings that have their own distinct Song for the Kagura and hand movements. That is, they are each different from the main form of the Kagura that is performed as the Kagura at Grand/Monthly Services at Church Headquarters. The eleven different Services are: :Service for Safe Childbirth :Service against Smallpox :Service for Conception of a Child :Service to Cure Cripples :Service of Fertilizer :Service for Germination :Service against Insect Pests :Service for Rain :Service for Cessation of Rain :Service for Harvest :Service against Rebellion

Although Oyasama taught these forms of the Kagura[[eleven different Services]], there are no records of several of them of ever being performed. While there are records of the [[Service of Rain ]] being performed during Oyasama's lifetime<ref name="LO"/>, only the [[Service for Safe Childbirth ]] and the [[Service for Germination ]] are conducted at Tenrikyo Church Headquarters today.

Morning and evening services are performed daily at Tenrikyo Church Headquarters and regional churches. These daily services mainly consists of the performance of the seated service. Unlike Monthly Services where positions for the dancers, nine instruments, and singers (three at Church Headquarters; regional churches vary between one to three) are set up, only five positions are set up: wooden clappers (''[[hyoshigi]]'' (wooden clappers), counter (''[[kazutori]]''(counter), cymbals (''[[chanpon]]''(cymbals), large drum (''[[taiko]]''(large drum), and gong (''[[surigane]]''(gong).

*''gantan-sai'' = "[[New Year's serviceService]]"*''hokoku-sai'' = "[[dedication service]]" (of a church construction)

:*''shunin hokoku-sai'' = "[[installation service]]" (of a church minister)*''mitama-sai'' = "memorial service[[Memorial Service]]"

<ref name="Os">See [[Osashizu 1889-03-31-09:30]] and [[Osashizu 1889-03-31]].</ref>