Momotaro is the hero of a Japanese Folk Tale. The name Momotaro is often translated as Peach Boy. Momo means peach and taro means eldest son. The reason he was called Momotaro in the tale is that his adoptive parents found him floating on a river inside a giant peach.

In the tale, Momotaro goes on a journey against the oni demons. He's joined by a talking dog, a monkey and a pheasant. The song starts out with Momotaro who has dumplings made out of millet in a pouch at his waist. He's using them to attract the animals to join him on his quest.

桃太郎さんの歌 - (Momotarō-san no uta) - Japanese Children's Songs - Japan - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World - Intro Image

Notes

*The are dumplings made from millets (a grass species used as a crop).

*****
Pronunciation:

Momotaro-san, Momotaro-san,
o-koshi ni tsuketa kibidango,
hitotsu watashi ni kudasai na.

Yarimasho, yarimasho,
Kore kara oni no seibatsu ni
tsuite iku nara, yarimasho.

Ikimasho, ikimasho,
Anata ni tsuite doko made mo,
kerai ni natte ikimasho.

Sorya susume! Sorya susume!
Ichido ni semete seme yaburi,
tsubushite shimae, onigashima.

Omoshiroi, omoshiroi,
Nokorazu oni o semefusete
bundorimono o enyaraya.

Banbanzai, banbanzai,
O-tomo no inu ya saru kiji wa,
isande kuruma o enyaraya.

*****
Published in 1911 by the Ministry of Education.
Melody by 岡野貞 - Teiichi Okano (1878 - 1941).

桃太郎さんの歌 - (Momotarō-san no uta) - Japanese Children's Songs - Japan - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World - Comment After Song Image

Comments

This song reminds me of the Chinese song Journey to the West where there's also a journey of animals with demons. -Mama Lisa

Listen

You can hear the 1st two verses in the mp3 recording of Momotaro.

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MP3 by Kaihsu Tai, cc.

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