Haku'un-kan (White Cloud House) — Attraction in Omihachiman

白雲館建於明治10年（1877年），是作為教育機構「八幡東學校」所建。有時人們會錯誤地將白雲館誤認為是沃利茲風格的建築，但事實並非如此。該建築是當地木匠在沃利茲來日約30年前建造的「模擬西洋風格建築」。

who is ヴォーリズ? 代表作として大丸百貨 店心斎橋店、大同生命ビル、関西学院大学、神戸女学院大学、同志社大学、大阪教会など が挙げられます。 ヴォーリズはその著書『吾家の設計』のなかで、「人の住居はその人を現 す」２）と述べています。

Merrell Vories Hitotsuyanagi (Mereru Hitotsuyanagi (一柳 米来留, Hitotsuyanagi Mereru); born William Merrell Vories; October 28, 1880 – May 7, 1964) was an educator, architect, entrepreneur, Christian lay missionary, and founder of the Omi Mission. Born in the United States, he later became a naturalized Japanese citizen.1]

Merrell lived and worked mainly in Shiga Prefecture in Japan. With only limited formal training as an architect, he founded an architectural office in Shiga which employed over thirty professional staff and was responsible for the design of well over 1000 residential, commercial, and church structures in Japan and occupied Korea, prior to the Second World War.

Biography Vories was born in Leavenworth, Kansas in 1880. He graduated from Colorado College in 1904. At first, he hoped to be an architect, although he came to Japan in 1905 as an English-language teacher, with an intention to engage in Christian missionary work. While working as a teacher in Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture, in 1908 he was dismissed from teaching job because his Bible Classes had attracted over one third of his class among others who were aligned with local Buddhist temples.[2] Vories had been asked to inspect the construction of an Omihachiman YMCA office building in 1907,[3] which became his first work as an architect in Japan.[notes 1] He opened his office for architectural design in 1908 and in the following year, he founded "Vories & Co." along with Lester Chapin, an architect, and Etsuzō Yoshida, his English class student. They held it initially in Kyoto and moved to Ōmihachiman to accommodate for their success.[6

Through YMCA activities in Japan, Vories became acquainted with many American and Japanese people, and received numerous commissions to design houses, churches, schools, hospitals, and YMCA facilities near and far. As many as 1,600 buildings can be credited to Vories' designs.[8]

In 1918, he founded the Omi Mission, and devoted his efforts to Christian missionary work and education.

In 1919, Vories married the daughter of viscount Suenori Hitotsuyanagi, Makiko Hitotsuyanagi (一柳満喜子, Hitotsuyanagi Makiko, 1884-1969).

He established Omi Sales Company in 1920, to promote an ointment called Mentholatum to earn funds to support his missionary work.

In 1934, the Omi Mission was renamed to Omi Brotherhood (近江兄弟社, Ōmi Kyōdaisha).

Vories also loved music, and is credited with introducing the Hammond Organ into Japan.[notes 2] The collective of schools which were founded by the Omi Brotherhood, known as Vories Gakuen, maintain usage of the Hammond organs supplied by Vories.[11]

In 1941, just before the attack on Pearl Harbor, Vories was naturalized as a Japanese citizen and took the name of Mereru Hitotsuyanagi as required by the Japanese law, pledged his allegiance to the nation of Japan and to the Emperor Hirohito.[12]

In September 1945, the former Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe asked Vories to convey a message to SCAP on the Emperor's behalf. Vories also shared the idea of the Emperor renouncing claims of divinity and declaring his humanity. He would later go on to meet the Emperor four times.

Death In 1957, Vories suffered a stroke while he was in his summer home in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture and was transported back to Ōmihachiman for medical treatment. He remained bedridden for seven years and died on the second floor of his house on May 7, 1964, at the age of 83.

In 1958, Vories was awarded as the first Honorary Citizen of Omihachiman.[13] He was posthumously honored the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 3rd class, by the Japanese government. His house in Ōmihachiman was currently the "Vories Commemorative...

25年7月9日に訪れました。 JR近江八幡駅からバスに乗り、バス停大杉町八幡山ロープウェー口から降りると、「白雲館」の美しい建物が見え、行ってみました。 建物の外に観光案内所の看板が出ていて、はじめての方も分かりやすく、入りやすかったです。 無料で入館、自由見学出来ました。 近江八幡や安土の観光案内パンフレットが置いてあり、近江八幡の名産品を販売するショップ、また、トイレや飲み物の販売機もありました。 暑い夏の観光の途中に立ち寄れる無料の休憩所としても利用出来ました。 スタッフの方が一名観光案内をしていました。 2階はギャラリースペースだそうですが、この日は何も行われていませんでした。 2階の階段をのぼるとステンドグラスが見えました。内観は素朴な感...

所在は 八幡神社の大鳥居の 道を挟んで 正面にある２階建ての 白っぽい建物です。

１階には 「八幡堀」ロケ等で撮影された 芸能人、有名人の 写真が展示されており 見るだけでも 楽しいかな。

傍らでは ちょっとしたお土産屋さんと 休憩スペース、トイレが 設けられています。

2階には 展示スペースが設けられており 地元のアーティストが 絵画の個展や写真展を 不定期で 開催されてたりします。

運が良ければ 良いものに出逢えるかも。

建物自体は 歴史的には重要な物で その当時の 近代建築のモダンさと 木造建築の温かさを 感じさせてくれます。

建物内へは 無料で入れますので 近...