Tooker House: A Sanatorium Built on Compassion
Nestled among the verdant hills on the outskirts of Omihachiman in Shiga Prefecture, the Former Main Building of Vories Memorial Hospital — widely known as Tooker House — stands as a quiet yet powerful testament to one man's dedication to healing the sick. Designed by the American-born architect William Merrell Vories and completed in 1918, this elegant wooden building was originally built as a tuberculosis sanatorium at a time when the disease was ravaging Japan. In 2014, it was designated as a nationally registered Tangible Cultural Property, ensuring its preservation for future generations.
Tooker House is far more than a historical curiosity; it is a place where architecture, medicine, and humanitarian ideals converge. For visitors seeking to explore the lesser-known cultural heritage of Japan beyond the well-traveled tourist routes, this building offers an intimate and deeply moving experience.
The Story Behind Tooker House
In the early 1900s, tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in Japan, claiming countless lives — particularly among the young. William Merrell Vories, who had arrived in Japan in 1905 as an English teacher dispatched by the YMCA, witnessed the devastating effects of the disease firsthand. A colleague at his architectural office, Endo Kanryu, contracted tuberculosis and tragically passed away. This personal loss spurred Vories to take action.
Vories began fundraising for a modern sanatorium and appealed to friends and supporters in the United States. His call was answered by Miss Mary Tooker, a philanthropist from New Jersey whose own mother, Anna Danforth Tooker, had died of tuberculosis. In memory of her mother, Mary Tooker donated a substantial sum — reportedly around five thousand dollars — to fund the construction of the sanatorium. The building was officially named the Anna Danforth Tooker Memorial Hall, and this is the origin of the name "Tooker House."
On May 25, 1918, the Omi Sanatorium — as the facility was then called — held its dedication ceremony. That very year, Japan recorded its highest-ever tuberculosis mortality rate, making the opening of this facility all the more significant.
Architectural Features and Design Philosophy
Tooker House is a wooden structure, primarily two stories high with a central section rising to three stories, crowned with a traditional Japanese tiled gable roof. The wings extending to the left and right of the central block terminate in distinctive semi-octagonal bays. The entrance porch is composed of graceful semicircular arches, above which a prominent bay window opens outward to capture light.
What makes this building truly remarkable is how every aspect of its design was driven by the medical needs of its patients. Vories believed that sunlight, fresh air, and a connection to nature were essential for the recovery of tuberculosis patients. Accordingly, the second-floor wards — where patients resided — feature unusually wide window openings to maximize ventilation and natural light. Even the building's orientation and positioning on the hillside were carefully calculated so that sunlight could reach the rooms even on the shortest days of winter.
The interior design also reflects Vories's characteristic warmth and attention to human comfort. Rather than the cold, institutional atmosphere typical of hospitals, Tooker House was designed to feel welcoming and dignified. Vories famously referred to his patients not as "patients" but as "sick friends" or "sick guests," and this spirit of hospitality is woven into the very fabric of the building.
Vories himself wrote that the building was intentionally kept simple and unadorned, believing that funds donated by generous supporters should not be spent on extravagant decoration but rather on creating a genuinely healing environment. This philosophy of sincere, functional beauty is a hallmark of Vories architecture.
Why Tooker House Was Designated a Cultural Property
In 2014, Tooker House was officially registered as a nationally designated Tangible Cultural Property (building). The designation recognizes several significant aspects of the structure. First, it is an outstanding example of early twentieth-century Western-style wooden architecture in Japan, demonstrating the successful adaptation of American architectural principles to the Japanese climate and building traditions. Second, its design as a tuberculosis sanatorium — with meticulous attention to sunlight, ventilation, and patient well-being — represents an important chapter in the history of medical architecture in Japan. Third, it is one of the finest surviving works by Vories, whose approximately 1,600 architectural projects across Japan left an enduring mark on the country's built landscape.
The building had once been scheduled for demolition to make way for a hospice facility, but a passionate preservation campaign led by local citizens succeeded in reversing the decision. The NPO "Citizens' Association for Preserving Vories Heritage" subsequently worked with the building's owner, the Omi Brotherhood Foundation, to carry out extensive restoration work over approximately ten years, including seismic reinforcement and roof repairs.
Highlights for Visitors
Visitors to the Tooker House grounds can experience a remarkable ensemble of Vories-designed buildings, each telling its own part of the sanatorium's story.
The main building itself reveals the thoughtful design details that made it a pioneering medical facility — the expansive windows, the carefully proportioned rooms, and the gentle interplay of light and shadow throughout the interior. After the completion of major restoration work in 2023, the building's interior has been opened to the public, and visitors can now walk through the very spaces where patients once convalesced.
Adjacent to Tooker House stands the Goyokan (Five-Leaf Pavilion), also built in 1918. This smaller ward building has a unique plan in which five individual patient rooms radiate outward from a central communal lounge, creating a floor plan that resembles a maple leaf when viewed from above. Designed for patients nearing the end of their recovery, the Goyokan was known as a symbol of hope. Its raised-floor construction ensured excellent under-floor ventilation, and the amethyst-crystal doorknobs on each room's entrance add a touch of delicate beauty.
The Hospital Chapel, built in 1937, was constructed to console the spirits of those who had passed away during their treatment. It is the only one of the three buildings still in active use, with Sunday worship services held regularly. Its intimate interior features distinctive period wallpaper patterns.
Nearby Attractions
Tooker House is located within the grounds of Vories Memorial Hospital in the Kitanosho area of Omihachiman, very close to La Collina Omihachiman, the flagship shop of the Taneya confectionery group. Designed by the celebrated architect Terunobu Fujimori, La Collina's grass-roofed buildings set amid rice paddies have become one of the most popular destinations in Shiga Prefecture, drawing visitors who come for the freshly baked Baumkuchen and other sweets produced by Club Harie.
The historic center of Omihachiman, accessible by bus from the hospital area, features over twenty surviving Vories buildings. Highlights include the Vories Memorial Hall (his former residence), the Old Hachiman Post Office, Andrews Memorial Hall, and the charming Western-style houses of the Ikedamachi district. The Hachiman-bori canal, a beautifully preserved waterway lined with traditional merchant houses and white-walled storehouses, is also well worth a visit and offers scenic boat tours.
For those with more time, the ruins of Azuchi Castle — built by Oda Nobunaga in the sixteenth century — are located a short distance away and provide sweeping views over Lake Biwa.
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Q＆A
- Can I visit the interior of Tooker House?
- Yes. Following major restoration work completed in 2023, Tooker House, along with the Goyokan and Chapel, is open for guided tours on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (excluding winter). Tours are held twice daily at 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM. Advance reservation is recommended, and the tour takes approximately 90 minutes. Please check with the Omihachiman Tourism Association or the NPO Vories Heritage Preservation group for the latest schedule.
- How do I get to Tooker House from JR Omihachiman Station?
- From JR Omihachiman Station (North Exit), take the Ohmi Railway Bus bound for Chomeiji. Alight at the "Vories Kinen Byoin-mae" (Vories Memorial Hospital) bus stop (approximately 10 minutes). From the bus stop, it is about a 10-minute walk to Tooker House. By car, it is roughly a 10-minute drive from the station.
- Is there an admission fee?
- Yes. As of the latest information, the admission fee for the guided tour of Tooker House, Goyokan, and the Chapel is 1,000 yen per person, which includes a commemorative gift. Please bring exact change if possible.
- Is Tooker House accessible for visitors with limited Japanese language ability?
- While the guided tours are primarily conducted in Japanese, the architectural beauty and historical atmosphere of the buildings can be appreciated by all visitors regardless of language. Informational materials may be available in English. Combining a visit with a broader tour of Vories architecture in Omihachiman, where some English-language resources are available through the tourism association, is recommended.
- What is the best season to visit?
- Spring (April–May) and autumn (October–November) are ideal, when the surrounding greenery and seasonal foliage beautifully complement the building. The facility is generally closed during winter months. Special guided tour events are sometimes held in conjunction with local festivals and seasonal programs.
Basic Information
| Official Name | Vories Memorial Hospital Former Main Building (Tooker House) / ヴォーリズ記念病院旧本館（ツッカーハウス） |
|---|---|
| Formal Name | Anna Danforth Tooker Memorial Hall |
| Architect | William Merrell Vories (1880–1964) |
| Year of Completion | 1918 (Taisho 7); renovated in 1934 |
| Structure | Wooden construction, two stories (partially three stories), tile-roofed gable |
| Cultural Property Designation | Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), registered 2014 |
| Owner | Omi Brotherhood Foundation (公益財団法人近江兄弟社) |
| Address | 492 Kitanosho-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture 523-0806, Japan |
| Access | JR Omihachiman Station → Ohmi Railway Bus (Chomeiji line) → "Vories Kinen Byoin-mae" stop → 10-min walk |
| Visiting Hours | Guided tours: Thu, Fri, Sat (excluding winter); 10:00 AM / 1:30 PM; approx. 90 min; reservation recommended |
| Admission | 1,000 yen per person (includes commemorative gift) |
References
- ヴォーリズ記念病院旧本館（ツッカーハウス） — 文化遺産オンライン
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/262332
- ヴォーリズと病院の歴史 – 公益財団法人近江兄弟社 ヴォーリズ記念病院
- https://www.vories.or.jp/about/history
- ヴォーリズ建築「ツッカーハウス」の改修費用支援を求めるクラファンプロジェクト — CONFORT
- https://confortmag.net/20210920projects-vories/
- ツッカーハウス見学会 参加レポート — 40代から挑戦中 趣味する時間
- https://hajimeruyamanobori.com/tookerhouse/
- William Merrell Vories and Omihachiman — 近江八幡観光物産協会
- https://www.omi8.com/welcome-e/vories-omihachiman/
- ヴォーリズの建築 — 近江八幡観光物産協会
- https://www.omi8.com/omihachiman/local-history/vories/buildings/
- めぐるり近江八幡 — ヴォーリズが繋いだご縁を大切に守っていく
- https://megururi.jp/infinity/111/
- ウィリアム・メレル・ヴォーリズ — Wikipedia
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ウィリアム・メレル・ヴォーリズ
Last verified: 2026.03.27