▁studying ▁every ▁moment ▁he ▁could . ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁novel ▁Ob as an ▁by ▁Joy ▁K og awa . ▁The ▁father ▁often ▁tells ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁Nin omi ya ▁Son to ku ▁to ▁his ▁children , ▁rel ating ▁how ▁ ▁" Up ▁early ▁to ▁the ▁mountains ▁for ▁wood ▁before ▁the ▁ro oster ▁calls ▁' ko - ke - k ok - ko !' ▁He ▁studies ▁and ▁works ▁every ▁day ▁to ▁feed ▁his ▁baby ▁brother ▁and ▁his ▁mother . ▁That ▁is ▁how ▁he ▁becomes ▁the ▁great ▁teacher , ▁Nin omi ya ▁S ont aku ▁of ▁O da w ara , ▁Japan ." ▁ ▁War ▁lo ot ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Roll ins ▁College , ▁a ▁small ▁private ▁liberal ▁arts ▁college ▁in ▁Winter ▁Park , ▁Florida , ▁United ▁States ▁made ▁international ▁head lines ▁when ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Japan , ▁per ▁a ▁request ▁from ▁Ok ina wa ▁Pref ect ure , ▁asked ▁for ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁a ▁statue ▁that ▁was ▁taken ▁as ▁war ▁lo ot . ▁It ▁was ▁taken ▁by ▁Cl inton ▁C . ▁Nich ols , ▁a ▁lieutenant ▁commander ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁and ▁Roll ins ▁gradu ate , ▁after ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ok ina wa . ▁Nich ols ▁presented ▁the ▁statue ▁of ▁Nin omi ya ▁Son to ku ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁to ▁then ▁Roll ins ▁President ▁Hamilton ▁Hol t ▁who ▁promised ▁to ▁keep ▁it ▁in ▁the ▁main ▁lo bb y ▁of ▁the ▁college ' s ▁Warren ▁Administration ▁Building ▁forever .