Shofuso

Shofuso is a historic Japanese house and garden that represents the friendship between Japan and Philadelphia. Since 1958, Shofuso has been part of the Centennial District in Philadelphia's West Fairmount Park, and it is listed within Philadelphia's Register of Historic Places. Over 38,000 people from around the world visit Shofuso annually. The house was designed by architect Junzo Yoshimura and was built in Japan in 1953 using traditional techniques and materials. It was exhibited at the courtyard of the Museum of Modern Art in New York before moving to West Fairmount Park in 1958, the site of several previous Japanese structures dating to the 1876 Centennial Exposition. 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. This historic site and museum includes a hill and pond garden with a tiered waterfall, island, and koi fish, a tea garden featuring a traditional tea house, and a courtyard garden leading to a bathhouse. Since its opening, Shofuso has been a landmark location to experience Japanese culture in Philadelphia. The Urasenke Tea School of Philadelphia and Princeton Omotesenke regularly perform tea ceremony demonstrations at Shofuso, and the IchiFuji-kai Dance Association and Kyo Daiko, Philadelphia's community taiko troupe, perform at the house and in the garden during holidays. Youth and adult workshops are offered at Shofuso throughout the year, including summer day camp sessions for children from preschool through high school. Shofuso is administered by the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, a private nonprofit which inspires mutual curiosity, understanding, and collaboration between Japan and Philadelphia.