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Designed by architect Junzo Yoshimura, Shofuso was built in Japan in 1953 using traditional techniques and materials. It was shipped to New York and exhibited in the courtyard of the Museum of Modern Art in New York before moving to West Fairmount Park in 1958. In 2007, international artist Hiroshi Senju, inspired by the garden’s waterfall, donated 20 contemporary murals to Shofuso, which are permanently displayed inside the house.
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Outside, more than an acre of landscaped gardens provides lots of room to roam. From 1905 until a fire in 1955, Shofuso’s site was occupied by a nio-mon, or temple gate, from a Japanese Buddhist temple built in the early 14th century. Popularly known as the “Japanese Pagoda”, it had been brought to the United States for the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, MO and acquired for Philadelphia by the Fairmount Park Art Association. John T. Morris, John H. Converse, and Samuel Vauclain defrayed the costs of the move and installation, and the landscaping around the gate was designed by Y. Muto, who had installed Japanese garden features at Morris’ estate, now the Morris Arboretum.
Shofuso: Philadelphia’s Japanese House and Garden
Understandably, you don’t exactly think “city where America was born” and think of a Japanese garden. If you have some time or want a relaxing afternoon, I highly recommend booking a ticket here. Because Shofuso reflects the conditions of seventeenth-century Japan, it is not wheelchair or scooter accessible. Shofuso is not easily accessible to users of walkers, canes, or prosthetics.
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"The idea of peace and emptiness and quiet beauty were very important in 16th-century Japan. These traditions have carried on for hundreds of years, including today." The stones you see around the garden are specifically from Taka Mountain near Nagoya. They were detailed, making sure to wrap each stone carefully enough to preserve the natural moss on the rocks! If you’re lucky, you may see one of the workers show you how cleaning the drainage works (it’s a lot prettier than what you’re thinking). Visiting Shofuso has to be one of the most underrated things to do in Philadelphia.
Those devices are permitted in the house so long as they have rubber tips or are covered in a soft protective covering to preserve our historic flooring. For Philadelphia’s 1976 Bicentennial celebration, the garden was extensively renovated by Nakajima Kenji in the authentic Momoyama style of early 17th-century Japan. Non-members can add the privileges at checkout through our 30 day free trial, cancellable at anytime. Barring a lovely plate of sashimi (kanpachi), the menu at this delicious Japanese gem is comprised of classic izakaya food. Think fluffy whipped miso tofu, topped with marinated cherry tomatoes and pickled scallion kimchi; Salmon Creek Farm pork shumai with braised bacon dashi; and tender grilled chicken “oysters” kicked up with yuzu kosho. Beverage lovers will thrill to the excellent selection of local craft and distilled sake—and they’ll also get to choose their own cups to enjoy these sips.
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It's the work of Kinzuchi Fujii, a Japanese landscaper who immigrated to California in 1903. Upon arrival, you'll be welcomed with a steaming pot of green tea and matcha cake. As if all that wasn't enough, there's original Japanese artwork on the walls and vases with custom ikebana flower arrangements. The building is also a showroom for Hasami Porcelain, the acclaimed pottery line founded by co-owner Taku in 2012. With their rough, grainy texture and unadorned designs, Hasami mugs and bowls are instantly recognizable. The collection's name comes from the town of Hasami, in Nagasaki Prefecture, which has a ceramic legacy dating back to the 17th century; the one-of-a-kind pieces are still handmade in the same place over 400 years later.
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You can hang out by the pond, linger on the bridges, and get lost for a moment in the stream and waterfall. It’s truly remarkable what an oasis this place is so close to the heart of the city. The Japanese garden at the site was originally built in 1909 by Y. Muto, a landscape architect who also contributed Japanese elements to Morris Arboretum in Chestnut Hill. When the house was installed, the Shofuso garden was redone to complement it. Visitors can enjoy the house while learning about its architecture and function.
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Most of the grounds of this La CaƱada Flintridge garden celebrate the natural horticultural magic of Southern California. But aside from the rose garden and a seasonal tulip field, the Japanese garden is easily the most manicured—and the area with the highest concentration of cherry blossoms in the spring. Cross over the arched bridge and a koi-filled stream and you’ll find a tea house donated by the Japanese-American community.
Apparently back when the house was on display in NYC, you could walk across them (minus your shoes, of course). However, in order to help preserve them, they block off the main rooms so you can only view from afar. In one of the halls you’ll even see a little replica of a typical Japanese meal with some rice, what I think is some sort of seaweed soup, and fish.
The cultural village also includes a tea and sake garden and a Kabuki theater, where Lai plans to host events and performances. Take a stroll around the serene central pond at this 1.3-acre garden on the Cal State Long Beach campus. The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden hosts lectures, screenings, workshops and an annual origami festival. Dedicated in April 1981, the free-to-visit garden was a gift from Loraine Miller Collins in memory of her late husband, Earl Burns Miller.
In 1942, like thousands of other Japanese Americans, he was forced to leave Pasadena and enter an internment camp for the duration of World War II. Today, the faithfully restored garden stands as a testament to his work and offers visitors a chance to contemplate a dark chapter of U.S. history against a backdrop of splendid black pine trees and lilypads. In 1958, it was donated to Philadelphia where it has stood as a cultural center, museum and beautiful destination ever since.
Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Shofuso is located a five-minute walk from the Please Touch Museum, on the grounds of the Horticulture Center, in West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. Site AddressShofuso is located on the grounds of the Horticulture Center, in West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.
Like I said above, it was designed by Tansai Sano who also did the original design for its display at MoMa. Sano comes from a family who’d taken care of the famous Ryoan-ji temple in Kyoto for six generations. Despite its looks, Shofuso is only a little over half a century old. It was designed by Junzo Yoshimura in Nagoya, Japan for an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art called “The House in the Museum Garden.” It was there to showcase one of the influences on mid-century modern architecture. It is limited, so public transportation or bicycling to the park are recommended at popular times such as on the weekends, during special events, or when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. With its bright blossoms, rippling koi pond, and traditional-style house, this sanctuary is a remarkable getaway just a few miles from Center City.
In keeping with Japanese tradition, visitors must remove their shoes before entering the house. Please note that the temperature inside the house is the same as outside, so please wear thick socks during cooler temperatures! If it's a taste of modern-day Little Tokyo you're after, consider starting at Japanese Village Plaza.
6abc Studios (WPVI) -- Join Action News's Nydia Han for this special event honoring the abc Philly Proud AAPI Heritage Month Community Awardees. This year we honor three James Beard Award-winning/nominated Female Asian Chefs, a couple with a foundation investing in young changemakers in Philadelphia, and the first Asian-American County Commissioner in Pennsylvania history. Modernist masters and traditional Japanese architecture meet in the Philadelphia region. The house was built in 1953 and given to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The setting, the architecture, it's all there to convey a sense of feeling," Polyakov says.
It’s worthwhile to check the website for special events, but from the flowering trees in spring to colorful foliage in fall, Shofuso is beautiful in any season, offering a unique connection with Japanese culture in the heart of Philadelphia. After the exhibition closed, the house was relocated to the Japanese garden in Philadelphia that suddenly found itself in need of a central structure. The transplanted Shofuso opened to the Philadelphia public on October 19, 1958. In the same year, the surrounding gardens were redesigned to accommodate the new addition. The traditional-style Japanese house and nationally ranked garden reflect the history of Japanese culture in the city. However, Fujii was unable to witness the completion of his efforts.
