Sotojima Hoyou-in was opened in 1909 in the low land near the river delta in Osaka with 300 admission capacity. While the expansion was underway, it was hit by a typhoon in 1934, which claimed 196 lives including 173 residents (patients). Many of the survived 416 residents (patients) were later moved to Oku Komyo-en built in 1938 in Okayama.