A variety of local produce
Father de Rotz, together with the local people, grew wheat which was used to make a variety of produce
Of the goods produced under the guidance of Father de Rotz, the main food products were bread, macaroni and sōmen. There was an expert at baking bread called Tsujihara Toku, and it is said that she was affectionately referred to as "pantoku" ("pan" means bread in Japanese). A special factory was built for making macaroni, and machines were purchased. It is said that this was the first place in Japan to produce macaroni.
Later, they began to make sōmen too and this became a very popular product. The priest's idea of using peanut oil was a success. This sōmen made using peanut oil is still sold in Sotome today, and is called "Doro-sama sōmen".
Wheat was a crucial ingredient for producing these foods. It was first sent away for from France, but later they began to cultivate some land in a place called Oodaira (in the local area) and grow wheat there. They also built a flour mill, which was powered by a waterwheel.
The selling of these products was done by local peddlers, although it also seems that foreign merchants like Thomas Glover and Frederick Ringer helped. It was an integrated process: produce made and sold in Shitsu, produced using locally-grown ingredients.