What is "kintaro"

is a folk hero from Japanese folklore. A child of superhuman strength, he was raised by a mountain hag on Mount Ashigara. He became friendly with the animals of the mountain, and later, after catching Shuten-dōji, the terror of the region around Mount Ooe, he became a loyal follower of Minamoto no Yorimitsu under the new name . He is a popular figure in noh and kabuki drama, and it is a custom to put up a Kintarō doll on Boy's Day in the hope that boys will become equally brave and strong.

Kintarō is supposedly based on a real man, named Sakata Kintoki, who lived during the Heian period and probably came from what is now the city of Minami-ashigara. He served as a retainer for the samurai Minamoto no Yorimitsu and became well known for his abilities as a warrior. As with many larger-than-life individuals, his legend has grown with time.

Kintaro may refer to:

• , legendary child, folk hero from Japanese folklore; a fictionalized version of Sakata no Kintoki, samurai from the Heian period

• Kintaro doll, a toy offered to Japanese children during the Tango no Sekku holiday
• Kintarō-ame, a traditional candy with a cylinder shape still produced in Japan and coming from the Edo period
• Kintaro (Mortal Kombat), character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game
• Kintaro Okamura (1867–1935), Japanese botanist
• Kintaro Hattori, founder of the Seiko company
• Kintaros, a bear Imagin in Kamen Rider Den-O
• Kintarō, the main character from Golden Boy (manga)