Momotaro is the main character of the best known Japanese folk tale, and because the story is believed to be based on a real-life person from Okayama, he is one of the symbols of the Okayama region. In the Okayama city, there’s a main street named after him, decorated with numerous statues representing characters from the Momotaro story.

In the nearby city of Kurashiki, there’s even a small dedicated museum, displaying interesting traditional items such as ukiyo-e woodblock prints and karakuri dolls, all related to the Momotaro story. The museum, located in the Bikan Historical Quarter, is quite easy to find, welcoming its visitors with a large traditional doll representing Momotaro and his companions: a dog, a pheasant and a monkey.

Momotaro Karakuri Hakubutsukan Museum, Kurashiki, Okayama

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Burning the lucky charms, traditional Japanese festival Dondo Yaki