The Workshop
The Workshop, which formed the center of the vocational activities of the Shitsu Aid Center, was constructed in 1883. The activities carried out in the building ranged from spinning and dyeing to the production of bread and Japanese somen noodles, and the brewing of soy sauce.
For construction, red water-absorbing clay mixed with lime and sand was used, layered with stones collected in Sotome to create a strong basis. The resulting walls, utilizing European architectural design, and used in various construction projects, came to be known as “de Rotz walls” and, in Japan, can be found only in Sotome.
The Workshop is an early example of both a modern welfare project and a building constructed with new Western techniques and materials, a characteristic of the Meiji period (1868–1908). In 2003, the building was designated an item of
Important Cultural Property of Japan.