Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
A skeleton on display contemplating its own mortality.
Kid Mai Death Awareness Cafe
This classic London pub has a surprising history behind it.
John Snow
The beef, Guinness, and oyster pie sports a rich, flaky crust.
The Guinea
Welcome to one of the only floating pubs in the world.
Tamesis Dock
This may be the oldest pie in the world.
St Helens 'Oldest Pie' at The Turks Head
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
11 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
15 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
22 days ago
“There may be a collective sense of a dark loneliness,” Dahl says, referring to Norway’s natural landscape.
In Norway, Easter Means Tucking Into Crime Stories
22 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Japan Inuyama Momotaro Shrine

Momotaro Shrine

A kitsch shrine dedicated to the ogre-slaying folktale hero born from a peach.

Inuyama, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The birth of the Peach Boy.   Nao Iizuka
The birth of the Peach Boy.   Nao Iizuka
The main building of the shrine.   KKPCW
The monkey.   Nao Iizuka
The pheasant.   Nao Iizuka
The Peach Torii.   mamboo
Momotarō defeating the Oni.   Nao Iizuka
The treasure of the Oni.   mamboo
A photograph of the lost “mummy” of an Oni child.   KKPCW
The three companions leading to the “Treasury.”   Nao Iizuka
The dog.   Nao Iizuka
A statue of Momotarō.   Nao Iizuka
The famous characters of the folktale.   Nao Iizuka
“I’m a gentle Oni. Feel free to get on my back!”   mamboo
A statue of a bizarrely submissive ogre.   Nao Iizuka
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Momotarō, also known as the Peach Boy, is one of the most famous characters in Japanese folklore.

In most versions, he is born out of a giant peach and raised by an elderly couple until he grows into a strong young boy. With a bag full of kibi-dango (sweet millet dumpling) made by his foster mother, Momotarō sets off on a quest to fight a marauding horde of Oni, mythological ogre-demons. He gave some of the dumplings to a dog, a pheasant, and a monkey that he met on his journey. He befriends them and together, they defeat the demons on Onigashima, or the Ogre Island.

Generally, although widely disputed, the folktale is believed to have originated in Kibi Province, in today's Okayama Prefecture. Before the 1960s however, Aichi Prefecture was also among the contenders as a possible origin site of the Momotarō legend.

On the grounds of the shrine stand several concrete statues created by sculptor Shōun Asano, including those depicting Momotarō and the Oni. Many of them are quite kitsch and surreal, and some are designed so that children can play on them. If these statues don't creep them out that is.

Even the torii arch, which can be found at every Shinto shrine in Japan, is themed after the Momotarō legend. It's possibly the only peach-shaped torii in Japan.

Adjacent to the shrine's main building is a so-called treasury, where the kanabō cudgel, bones, and mummified penis of the Oni are exhibited. These are all that remain of the old treasury, which was destroyed by an arsonist along with a collection of historical texts. There are photographs of the lost treasure, including the skeleton of an Oni and the "fossilized" peach from which Momotarō was born. 

As a place of worship, the shrine is often visited by local parents to pray for their children's health. It's also adjacent to Momotarō Park, which is popular among locals as a picnic area and is known for its food stalls and cherry blossoms.

Related Tags

Shrines Folklore History & Culture Legends Sculptures

Know Before You Go

A 10-minute drive from Inuyama-Yūen Station.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Published

August 7, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Momotaro Shrine
Ohira-853 Kurisu
Inuyama, 484-0002
Japan
35.405234, 136.966202
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Little World Museum of Man

Inuyama, Japan

miles away

Hotei Buddha

Konan, Japan

miles away

Mama Kannon Temple

Komaki, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Japan

Japan

Asia

Places 786
Stories 110

Nearby Places

Little World Museum of Man

Inuyama, Japan

miles away

Hotei Buddha

Konan, Japan

miles away

Mama Kannon Temple

Komaki, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Japan

Japan

Asia

Places 786
Stories 110

Related Places

  • The Demon Oak Tree.

    Hirosaki, Japan

    Demon Oak Tree of Onizawa

    A mountain demon once helped a local villager construct a canal, after which he sat on this oak tree to rest.

  • The Iron Knight

    Prague, Czechia

    Iron Knight

    The statue of a cursed knight is said to come to life every 100 years.

  • Dunvegan Castle

    Isle of Skye, Scotland

    The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan Castle

    Inside a Scottish castle hangs the tattered remains of a flag with murky origins and supposed magic powers.

  • Mahō Jinja (Magical Shrine)

    Soja, Japan

    Mahō Jinja (Magical Shrine)

    This unusual "magical shrine" honors a legendary raccoon-dog god that stowed away to Japan from some far-off land.

  • The ancient Ashoka pillar.

    New Delhi, India

    Feroz Shah Kotla

    The ruins of a medieval citadel believed to be haunted by a ministry of wish-granting djinns.

  • The Duck’s Fountain

    Bratislava, Slovakia

    The Duck’s Fountain

    According to the local legend, these boys and ducks were turned to stone by an angered water goblin.

  • Grimsby Imp

    Grimsby, England

    Grimsby Imp

    A 12th-century church that houses a dark creature.

  • The Imaginary Elephants.

    Nikko, Japan

    'Imaginary Elephants'

    These sculptures were created by a 17th-century artist who had never seen an elephant.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.