Shōin Yoshida (September 20, 1830 – November 21, 1859) was a Japanese samurai (Chōshū clan retainer) of the late Edo period, a thinker, and an educator. He was a master of military science in the Yamaga school. He was a spiritual leader and theorist of the Meiji Restoration. He greatly influenced the shishi (men of high spirit) who played active roles in the Meiji Restoration at the Shoka Sonjuku. In 1857, he took over the name of the Shoka Sonjuku, which his uncle had presided over, and opened the Shoka Sonjuku on the Sugita family's property. At this Shoka Sonjuku, Shōin educated figures such as Genzui Kusaka, Shinsaku Takasugi, Hirobumi Ito, Toshimaro Yoshida, Kyuichi Irie, Issei Maehara, Yajiro Shinagawa, Akiyoshi Yamada, Yasushi Nomura, Kozo Watanabe, and Yoshijiro Kawakita. (Aritomo Yamagata and Kogoro Katsura were disciples of Shōin from his time at Meirinkan and did not enter the Shoka Sonjuku.) It is said that Shōin's Shoka Sonjuku was not a one-way teaching style where the teacher simply taught the disciples, but rather a "living study" where Shōin exchanged opinions with his disciples and engaged in activities such as mountain climbing and swimming, not just literature. ※ Buddhist statues, shrines, temples, Goshuin (temple seals), ranma (transom), antiques, Edo period, wood carvings, antique, retro, lacquerware, suzuri (inkstone), calligraphy, Shinto, sake vessels, flower vases, folk crafts, Buddhism, tea ceremony, matcha (powdered green tea), teacups, natsume (tea caddies), tea containers, Ko-Imari, Kutani ware, Shigaraki ware, Bizen ware, lacquered, hanging scrolls, woodblock prints, old playthings, old art, Chinese antiques, items from the Edo period, excavated items, museums, ruins, Buddhist art, Meiji era, Taisho era, Showa retro, earthenware, antique, kabuto (helmet), armor