Oryou Sonozaki

Oryou Sonozaki (園崎 お魎) is the head of the Sonozaki family. Oryou is the most powerful person in Hinamizawa and is influential in the neighboring Okinomiya.

Background
Oryou is the true power in Hinamizawa, although for appearances sake the Kimiyoshi family have been the town heads for generations. Politicians, political groups, even the child protective services group, look to her for direction and approval. She was forced to disinherit her daughter after she married outside the family, but is currently raising her granddaughter to inherit her position as head after her eventual death.

During the Dam War she was the head of the resistance, and it was her anger at the behavior the head of the Houjou family showed, especially the disrespect he showed her, that fueled the town's negative attitude toward that family. However, despite the belief of some of the local people, neither she nor her family had anything to do with the deaths that have occurred each Watanagashi, or even the kidnapping of the Minister of Construction's grandson during the war. All these acts were committed by others, but the Sonozaki, Oryou in particular, has been seen as the ones at fault.