
ODAWARA, Kanagawa -- The movement to promote regional development by local members was put into full swing through the reevaluation of Odawara Castle, which was called impregnable in the Sengoku warring period (late 15th to late 16th centuries), and the Odawara Hojo clan, who were daimyo feudal lords.
The Ninja Museum, a hands-on learning facility, opened this spring at Odawara Joshi Park located at the ruins of the castle in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture. In the ninja classroom in August, children climbed over the wall of playground equipment that looked like the wall of the jinya military camp of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who attacked the castle. When the sensor caught the tremor and indicated "Kusemono!" (Intruder!), the children laughed and said, "It found us."
At the museum, you can learn about the history of the Hojo clan by spotting the Fuma School ninja who served the Hojo clan. There are also many foreign visitors.

"Compared with Iga [Mie Prefecture] and Koka [Shiga Prefecture], which are popular ninja tourist destinations, Fuma is not well known, because there are few historical materials. However, the mystery is also attractive, and in combination with the Hojo clan, it will surely become a great tourist attraction," said Naoya Asao, 37, of the Odawara-shi Tourist Association.
Hojo Soun, the first head of the Hojo clan who rose to the status of daimyo in the Sengoku period, is considered a typical example of "gekokujo," meaning overthrowing someone of higher rank. A proverb "Odawara Hyojo," meetings that took a long time but did not reach a conclusion, also leads to a negative image of the Odawara Hojo clan.
However, local historian Hirofumi Ishii, 79, said: "The image of Soun, a villain, was created in historical novels, and his real image is different. Odawara Hyojo is also an advanced collegial system." He asserts the restoration of the Hojo clan, and has held lectures for local residents from fiscal 2013.

Five hundred years have passed since Soun died, and moves to reevaluate the clan are spreading in Odawara. In the spring of 2018, 12 organizations, including the tourist association, the city government, established an executive committee to carry out the restoration program. In order to utilize it for regional development, about 40 projects are planned in fiscal 2019, including symposiums and special exhibitions. From Sept. 20 to 23, projection mapping was used to depict creative images on the castle donjon.
Popular manga series, such as "Sengoku Gonbee," set in the siege of Odawara, and "Shinkuro Hashiru!" about young Soun, are now being serialized in youth magazines. The castle attracts a wide range of tourists from all over the country.
"Unlike other daimyo, the Hojo clan did not have assets such as gold mines, and focused on increasing its power to enrich the people. That is why they ruled a good government for five generations, or 100 years, without internal conflict. Their achievements are reaffirmed in this chaotic age," said Jun Suwama, 59, director of another museum in the donjon for tourism and learning.
An about 9-kilometer-long defensive line, called "Sogamae" or "Daigaikaku" encircled the castle town with moats and earthen walls, which is known to have contained more than 150,000 Toyotomi soldiers for about 100 days. According to a citizens' group "Daigaikaku no Kai" that has held such tours since 2016, the number of participants increased from 40 in the first session to about 160 in April this year.
"The name recognition of the Hojo clan is steadily rising," said Masayuki Yamada, 68, secretary general of the group. In addition to the spring and autumn tours, the group cuts grass and draws up a walking map.
The current Odawara Castle was mainly reproduced with remains from the Edo period (1603-1867), and most of the former castle, which was considered the largest in the Sengoku period, is buried below ground.
Atsushi Yamamoto, 50, representative of the group, said, "By appealing the charm of the Hojo clan, we hope to restore and maintain the Shoji-bori moats with grid pattern that are characteristic of the castle, and make it a historical theme park where tourists can visit in the future."
Iga, Koka ninja tours
The movement to utilize ninja groups for the promotion of tourism, such as the Fuma School that supported the Odawara Hojo clan behind the scenes, is spreading nationwide. In 2015, the Japan Ninja Council was established in cooperation with local governments associated with ninja. The council is promoting events at home and abroad through sightseeing tours.
In addition to Odawara, the council includes Iga, Koka and Ueda, Nagano Prefecture, which is believed to be the hometown of Sarutobi Sasuke, a fictitious ninja.
"It's important [for ninja] to survive to bring back information. The best strength is not to fight to the end," said Hiroshi Jinkawa, 50, an instructor of the Fuma School ninja, emphasizing the importance of the spirit of harmony.
-- Fun facts about Odawara city
Odawara is located in the southwestern end of the Kanto Plain and is a core city in the western part of Kanagawa Prefecture. The city was formed in 1940 when the city system started. The population is 190,181 as of Sept. 1.
In the Edo period, it flourished as a post station on the Tokaido main road and a castle town of the Odawara domain. Due to its mild climate, it was loved as a villa area by political, business and cultural figures before World War II.
Odawara's specialty kamaboko boiled fish paste and dried fish are famous all over Japan. It is the birthplace of Ninomiya Kinjiro who is known for his statue reading books while carrying firewood. JR Odawara Station is a terminal for five lines, including the Tokaido Shinkansen line, and is a hub for tourists heading to Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture.
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