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ARCHITECTURE
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ARCHITECTURE
Hotoku Ninomiya Shrine: Birthplace of Sontoku and the Hotoku Philosophy
Located within Odawara Castle grounds, Hotoku Ninomiya Shrine enshrines Ninomiya Sontoku (1787-1856), the late-Edo agricultural reformer whose Hotoku philosophy influenced Shibusawa Eiichi and Matsushita Konosuke. Famous for the iconic statue of young Kinjiro reading while carrying firewood.
Hotoku Ninomiya Shrine, located within the grounds of Odawara Castle, enshrines Ninomiya Sontoku (1787-1856), the late-Edo agricultural reformer and philosopher. Born to a poor farming family in Kayama (now Odawara), Sontoku rose through self-study and was recruited to revive impoverished domains. His Hotoku (“Repaying Virtue”) philosophy — kinro (diligent labor), bundo (living within one’s means), and suijo (sharing one’s surplus) — influenced Shibusawa Eiichi, Matsushita Konosuke, and modern sustainability thought. The shrine was founded in 1894 and is famous for the iconic statue of young Kinjiro reading while carrying firewood.
Last updated: May 2, 2026
Statue of Ninomiya Kinjiro at Hotoku Ninomiya Shrine — symbol of diligence
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
Worship hall of Hotoku Ninomiya Shrine — founded 1894
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
Portrait of Ninomiya Sontoku — late-Edo agricultural reformer
Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Torii of Hotoku Ninomiya Shrine — within Odawara Castle grounds
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
Birthplace of Ninomiya Sontoku — preserved Edo farmhouse in Kayama
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
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