The Museum of the Little Prince in Hakone

The largest shop for Little Prince merchandise in Japan. The name of the shop comes from the words spoken in the final scene, when the Prince returns to his own world. Saint-Exupery was born on June 29, 1900 in Lyon, France. He spent his youth in the castle of Saint-Maurice-de-Remens, which would also be his lifelong home, and he participated in the war both as an aviator and as an author. The Little Prince, born over the 44 years of his life, has been translated into more than 140 languages since its publication in America in 1943, and is beloved around the world even today.  In The Little Prince, Saint-Exupery’s true spirit, a pure spirit reflecting his childhood, is expressed in the form of the character known as the Prince. The inhabitants of 6 asteroids representing the values of adults and society he had seen, a pilot, a snake, and a fox appear in the story, each with an important significance. From these characters, the Prince learns that “what is essential is invisible to the eye,” realizes what it is necessary for him to now do, and returns to his own world. Thus, Saint-Exupery observes that by “returning to the pure spirit of childhood,” in other words, “returning to himself as he was at Saint-Maurice-de-Remens,” he will “reclaim his true self.” Saint-Exupery says that this is something that cannot be accomplished if the spirit is not healed.