Old Japanese Patriotic Women’s Association
Old Japanese Patriotic Women’s Association (台南愛國婦人會館)
For the last few years, this fantastic remainder of the Japanese era has sat behind iron fences and sheet metal while it went
Old Japanese Patriotic Women’s Association
Old Japanese Patriotic Women’s Association (台南愛國婦人會館)
For the last few years, this fantastic remainder of the Japanese era has sat behind iron fences and sheet metal while it went through an extensive restoration process. In the summer of 2011, however, this beautiful building was unwrapped and given back to the city. Situated directly across from the Confucius Temple and right next door to Lily Fruit Store, this building that once housed a woman’s association for the Japanese elite has been reopened as a small museum and exhibition space.
The Japanese Patriotic Women’s Association began in Tokyo in 1901 and set up branches in Taipei, Taichung, and Tainan in 1904. The branches in Taiwan were mostly made up of the wives of Japanese dignitaries and social elites. These women sought to improve the social welfare of their communities, and enacted this in the form of fundraising, charities, health care, and other social services. They were part of the movement to abolish foot-binding and set up organizations that provided women with vocational education. They also provided photographic and film events for their communities.
The current building that housed the Tainan branch of the association was completed in 1940 and has served many purposes since the end of World War II. The KMT rented the building to the Information Services of the US Embassy (USIS) in 1948 and then donated the building unconditionally to the Red Cross in 1950. Despite having command of the building, the Red Cross allowed the US Information 