Identification of the 神様 cited in lore


In some of the myths of Japanese lore I have found references to a non-
specific 神様.

I'm no expert in neither the language nor the lore (I'm a simple student as of
now), yet it seems to me that this references arise mainly in "imported" lore
rather than indigenous lore: for example, the lore of Japan creation as found
in the Kojiki actually names many on the divinities that are present; whereas
lores such as the 12 zodiac animals or the Tanabata lore present such a non-
descript 神様.

It seems to me that these references go back to China, so that I think that 神様
may be identified with the Jade Emperor (yet this is eventually a question to
be asked in the Chinese Stack Exchange); yet in Japanese lore with whom may we
identify this divinity?




After reading your question, I thought "I don't know, but does it have to be
identified?"

In **modernized** folklore Japanese children hear today, it is true that there
are many references to "non-descript" 神様. For example, most Japanese people
know the story regarding [why cats were not chosen as part of
十二支](https://nekochan.jp/knowledge/article/1248), where unidentified 神様
determines the 12 zodiac animals.

I think it was intentionally made "non-descript". There are very few people
who are interested in associating it with traditional deities in specific
legends or religions. As a native Japanese speaker, I personally have never
wondered which religion or country those 神様 belong to, either. Japanese people
today are perfectly fine with the idea of 神様 that belongs to no particular
religion. FWIW, I have never heard of Jade Emperor.

When Japanese people use the word 神様 today, it perhaps refers to Christian God
if they are attending a Christian-style wedding, and _shinto_ gods if they are
visiting a _shinto_ shrine. Otherwise, it has no relationship to a particular
god in traditional lore or religions. People sometimes say something like
どうなるかは神様にしか分からない ("Only God knows what will happen"), in a hospital for
example, but if you ask "Which God are you referring to?", you'll probably get
a blank stare.

If you're interested in the serious history of 十二支 or 七夕 in China, please ask
about them elsewhere. I can only explain how the word 神様 is perceived by
ordinary Japanese people. Of course there are well-known legends that are
unequivocally tied to _shinto_ gods, but they are generally not popular with
kids.

Maybe related: [Japan: The Most Religious Atheist
Country](https://blog.gaijinpot.com/japan-religious-atheist-country/)

**EDIT:** Looks like the one called 神様 in so-called the "Tanabata story" can
be traced back to
[王母娘娘](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Mother_of_the_West). I believe very
few Japanese people know this. As for 十二支, some sources suggest this 神様 is
お釈迦様, but the history of 十二支 is longer than the history of Buddhism itself...




After reading your question, I thought "I don't know, but does it have to be
identified?"

In **modernized** folklore Japanese children hear today, it is true that there
are many references to "non-descript" 神様. For example, most Japanese people
know the story regarding [why cats were not chosen as part of
十二支](https://nekochan.jp/knowledge/article/1248), where unidentified 神様
determines the 12 zodiac animals.

I think it was intentionally made "non-descript". There are very few people
who are interested in associating it with traditional deities in specific
legends or religions. As a native Japanese speaker, I personally have never
wondered which religion or country those 神様 belong to, either. Japanese people
today are perfectly fine with the idea of 神様 that belongs to no particular
religion. FWIW, I have never heard of Jade Emperor.

When Japanese people use the word 神様 today, it perhaps refers to Christian God
if they are attending a Christian-style wedding, and _shinto_ gods if they are
visiting a _shinto_ shrine. Otherwise, it has no relationship to a particular
god in traditional lore or religions. People sometimes say something like
どうなるかは神様にしか分からない ("Only God knows what will happen"), in a hospital for
example, but if you ask "Which God are you referring to?", you'll probably get
a blank stare.

If you're interested in the serious history of 十二支 or 七夕 in China, please ask
about them elsewhere. I can only explain how the word 神様 is perceived by
ordinary Japanese people. Of course there are well-known legends that are
unequivocally tied to _shinto_ gods, but they are generally not popular with
kids.

Maybe related: [Japan: The Most Religious Atheist
Country](https://blog.gaijinpot.com/japan-religious-atheist-country/)

**EDIT:** Looks like the one called 神様 in so-called the "Tanabata story" can
be traced back to
[王母娘娘](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Mother_of_the_West). I believe very
few Japanese people know this. As for 十二支, some sources suggest this 神様 is
お釈迦様, but the history of 十二支 is longer than the history of Buddhism itself...

