Financing activity based on morality In Japan, at the end of the Edo period, due to the frequent famine and penetration of product and money economy, the finance situation of shogunate and the clan were extreme poverty.  The household of Jyube Hattori, chief retainer of Odawara clan (Kanagawa prefecture), had become impoverished. On the other hand, there was a young man who was 24-year-old and became a landowner of 1.4ha which were above the area that his father had.  It was Sontoku Ninomiya.  His family lost land in the flood of Sakawa river, and Sontoku lost parents until he became 16 years of age. But he repurchased the land by … Continue reading →

Even now spirit of mutual assistance The thought of Sontoku Ninomiya was handed over to “Hotokusha (organization of mutual reward for virtues).”  Hotoku is derived from the “I toku ho toku (reward for virtues by virtues) “, one of teaching in ” Book of Analects”. The Meiji government gave Sontoku the honorable medal “Jyu-yon-i (the fourth-place medal).” However, if there were no activity of Hotokusha after his death, he might have been forgotten.  It was his disciples who made efforts to spread the Hotokusha.  Among them, the achievement of Shoshichi Agui (1789-1863) was shining. Shoshichi was born in Minoge village of Sagaminokuni (Sagami country) (Minoge, Hadano city, Kanagawa prefecture).  Although … Continue reading →

Diligence savings, “the road to rescue the village” The information on activities of Shoshichi Agui (1789 ～ 1863) that, Hotokusha was established in Shimoishida  (Shimoishida, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka prefecture) and Shoshichi rescued the poor by interest-free loan, spread throughout the Enshu whole area.  Saheiji Okada (1812 ～ 1873)  heard the information. Later, Saheiji established “Totominokuni (Tōtōmi Province) Hotokusha” and became president of Dainippon Hotokusha. However, at this point, Saheiji did not know Sontoku and Hotoku thought. Saheiji invited Shoshichi to his home and　received his lecture on Hotoku thought and practice of Shiho program for 3 days in the around-the-clock. Saheiji was convinced that “It’s just the way to save … Continue reading →

Enlightenment of region by “bundo” and “suijo” Every year, board of education of Kakegawa city of Shizuoka Prefecture, where headquarters of Dainippon Hotokusha is located, distributes supplementary readers “Naruhodo, Nattoku, Kinjiro-san (I see, I’m convinced, Mr. Kinjiro)” to 4 grade students of the elementary school. This book explains Sontoku’s philosophy ” kinben (hard work)”, ” shisei (sincerity)”, “bundo (computational general equilibrium)”, “suijo (concession)” in line with the everyday lives of children. For example, the book represents “bundo (computational general equilibrium) ” as ” to eliminate the waste (pocket money, eco-movement),” and “suijo (concession)” as “to lend force or help the people (volunteer activities, such as fund-raising activities).” The statues of … Continue reading →

Management by spirit of mutual aid and Hotoku thought There is a history of the development in Hokkaido prefecture. Sontoku Ninomiya( 1787 ～ 1856 ), who had worked on wasteland reclamation in the Kanto and Tohoku, was ordered to help the development there. Hakodate magistrate asked Sontoku for development of Ezo region (current Hokkaido) in 1855 (Ansei 2). At that time Sontoku was not health. He wrote the letter of refuse with reason that “I can not assume the responsibility, and my son (Sonko)is also half a man.” Immediately Hakodate magistrate sent letter to order “to write the name of candidate able to develop in new place.” He answered, “there … Continue reading →