Momotarô Jinja is a shrine in Aichi Prefecture strattling the boundry to Gifu Prefecture near Inuyama and is said to be where the tale of Momotarô took place. Momotarô is a famed folk hero in Japan and is a favorite of so many children across the country. The story goes that an old lady was doing laundry on the shore of a river when she noticed a giant peach floating downstream. She grabbed the peach and brought it to her husband. Suddenly the peach opened and a little boy came out and they named him Momotarô (Peach Boy). They raised the boy, and when the oni (ogres) of Onigashima (Ogre Island) started raiding the surrounding villages, Momotarô set out to defeat the oni and put an end to their raids. Along the way he befriended a phesant, a monkey, and a dog. They beat the oni and he brings back all the wealth they took and is praised as a hero.

For the casual: 4. For the educated: 8.

I will say upfront that if you have little care for this story, there’s not much of a reason to go to this shrine. It’s far and there’s no public transportation over to the shrine, so walking or a taxi are the best methods to get there. But if you do have an interest in the story, I recommend the trip. The shrine is filled with plaster statues depicting different parts of the Momotarô fable. The shrine itself not only honors the alleged site of the fable, but it also offers good luck and protection to children.