Born into a farming family in Ogawa village in Ōmi (Takashima, Shiga).
Adopted by his samurai grandfather, he moved to Yonago in Hōki and later to Ōzu in Iyo (Ehime).
His grandfather died, and he succeeded him as a samurai of the Ōzu domain.
Around this time he taught himself the Confucian classics and studied Neo-Confucianism deeply.
To care for his mother living alone at home, he sought leave from the domain; refused, he left it anyway and returned to Ogawa.
Living by selling sake and other means, he opened a school teaching villagers and young people. From the wisteria tree in his garden he was called "Master Tōju".
He wrote Okina Mondō, a dialogue on how to live, placing filial piety at the root of the human way.
Reading Wang Yangming's works, he embraced the teaching of cultivating innate good knowledge, and is regarded as the founder of Japanese Yangming studies.
He died at 40. Deeply loved by the villagers for his character and teaching, he was called "the Sage of Ōmi". Kumazawa Banzan was among his pupils.
IngenMatsudaira NobutsunaSenhimeTokugawa IemitsuHoshina MasayukiNonaka KenzanKawamura ZuikenKumazawa Banzan
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.