作品Free Graded Reading
子どものすきな神さまThe Little God That Children Love
Kodomo no Sukina Kamisama
by 新美 南吉 · Niimi Nankichi
Children try to catch an invisible god who plays with them in the snow.
About this story
About this storyAn invisible little god who loves children joins their snow play, leaving mysterious footprints.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in JapaneseSource
SourceThis text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko
Base edition (底本): 「ごんぎつね 新美南吉童話作品集1」てのり文庫、大日本図書
1988（昭和63）年7月8日第1刷発行
Typed in by めいこ. Proofread by 鈴木厚司、もりみつじゅんじ.
Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji.
The furigana are Yomimaru's. In the app it is split into 2 parts.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnAn invisible god who loves children joins them in the snow, leaving an extra face print. The children try to catch him through a game of soldier, but the god escapes, losing a red shoe. After that, the god rarely comes out of the forest but still calls to the children.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 神さま (かみさま) | god, deity |
|---|---|
| 雪 (ゆき) | snow |
| 靴 (くつ) | shoe |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てしまう N4Expresses completion of an action, often with a nuance of regret or finality. In this story, it indicates the children finished calling out their numbers and the god accidentally left a shoe behind.十二人の兵隊がばんごうをいってしまいました。
- ～かもしれない N4Expresses possibility or uncertainty. The children infer that the god might be among them.つかまったらどんなめにあうかしれません。
- ～しか～ない N2Means 'only' or 'nothing but'. Emphasizes that there are only 13 children.子どもは十三人しかいないのに。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Kami (神) in Japanese FolkloreIn Japanese Shinto belief, kami are spirits or gods that inhabit natural elements and often interact with humans. This story features a small, invisible kami that loves children, reflecting the playful and approachable nature of some folk kami.
- Playing Soldier (兵隊ごっこ)A traditional children's game in Japan where they pretend to be soldiers. The game involves lining up, giving commands, and calling out numbers, similar to the scene in the story.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionHow many children were playing in the snow?
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 11
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to the contrast between visible and invisible elements, as the story revolves around an invisible god.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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