The second communal bath,
the kosôyu rebuilt and designed identically to how it was during the time
when Rosanjin was here.

 
Staying in Iroha Soan crystallized Rosanjin’s shifting from calligraphy to the cuisine-related arts. The town in itself bears many traces of Rosanjin’s visit in Yamashiro. Known as a reputed calligrapher at the time, he was originally asked to carve wood signboards for several ryokans in Yamashiro. Some are still displayed to this day. In addition, the original entrance door of the Yoshinoya ryokan was preserved, despite the ryokan itself having disappeared.
On the ground were it once stood is now one of Yamashiro’s two communal bathing spots: the sôyu, with its elegant wooden designed exterior. Across the street is the second town communal bath, the kosôyu, which was rebuilt and designed identically to how it was during the time when Rosanjin was here. This very elegant pavilion displays the finest crafts of the area, such as Yamanaka lacquer ware walls, Kutani ceramic tiles, and graceful stained glasses which were quite in fashion at the time. Following the path that led Rosanjin to the entrance of Iroha Soan, one can easily catch glimpses of the Taishô atmosphere and the hotbed of a crucial point in this great artist’s evolution.