ABOUT

Okayama City has cultural resources in literature historically. The folktale of Momotaro, who was born from a peach and fought with a dog, monkey, and pheasant against an ogre causing trouble for people, has been the most famous Japanese folktale. Its roots are in Okayama City. It has widely spread among children as a picture book. It has fostered the spirit of supporting others and the affinity for animals in children. The folktale is our important cultural resource. Joji Tsubota, who was born in Okayama City, was one of Japan's leading authors of children's literature in the 1930s. We promote creative activities by citizens through literary awards commemorating him for 40 years. In the 18th century, a private library was established by a local merchant, and in the 20th century, a municipal library was built with donations. Even when everyone couldn’t access books to learn, we had a history of promoting local education through collaboration between the private and public sectors without boundaries.