Momotarô is a picture book written by Matsui Tadashi (1926- ) and illustrated by Akaba Suekichi (1910-90). “Momotarô” is one of the best-known old tales in Japan. Matsui compared the tales of “Momotarô” told in various districts and retold it in his own way. There is a conspicuous difference from the traditional tales of “Momotarô” for children in that Momotarô does not bring back treasures from ogres’ island, but brings back a princess. Akaba’s Japanese-style illustrations match the story.
Momotarô was born from a peach and raised by an old couple. He
ate well and grew up steadily. One day, a bird tells him that ogres of
the Ogre Island have robbed the rice of their village and kidnapped a princess.
Momotarô goes out to conquer the ogres in spite of the old couple’s
warning that he is too young. He takes the best Japanese millet dumplings
with him and has a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant as companions on his way
to the island. They beat the ogres one after another. Although the ogres
offer their treasure to Momotarô, he refuses and retrieves the princess.
Since then, the ogres never come to his village and Momotarô marries
the princess to live happily ever after.
Matsui tried to retell the scene where Momotarô declares to go
to Ogre Island along with old tales as much as possible, so as not to sound
imperialistic. Momotarô was valued as a rare picture story book; especially the beautiful water-colored illustrations and those pictures which could be seen like a sequence were highly evaluated. On the other hand, some criticized that Momotarô’s failure to bring back treasures in the end was a considerable flaw of the book.
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