Shofuso Japanese House and Garden

Shofuso Japanese House and Garden is an attraction in Pennsylvania, at a modelled elevation of 29 m. Diamond Rock Hill stands 188 m to the west-northwest, 17 miles off. The nearest named place is Gambol II Mare and Foal, a artwork 0.1 miles away. Blue Route passes 6.5 miles off. 31 named summits stand within 25 miles.
The story
Shofuso (Japanese: 松風荘, lit. 'pine breeze villa'), also known as Japanese House and Garden, is a 17th century-style Japanese house and garden in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was originally exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York in 1954, designed by the famed modernist Japanese architect Junzō Yoshimura. In 1958 it was relocated to Philadelphia's West Fairmount Park on the site of the Centennial Exposition of 1876. Shofuso is a nonprofit historic site with over 30,000 visitors each year and is open to the public for visitation and group tours. Shofuso was built in 1953 as a gift from Japan to American citizens, to symbolize post-war peace and friendship between the two countries. The building was constructed using traditional Japanese techniques and materials imported from Japan, and was originally exhibited in the courtyard of MoMA. After two years, it was relocated to Philadelphia and reconstructed in 1958. In 1976, a major restoration was conducted by a cadre of Japanese artisans in preparation for the American Bicentennial celebration. In 2007, contemporary Nihonga artist Hiroshi Senju created and donated an interior installation of twenty waterfall murals. Shofuso is owned by the government of Philadelphia and is administered, maintained, preserved, and operated by the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, a private nonprofit.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q5214910, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What to expect
- Fee
- Yes
How to reach it
- 6.5 mi off the Blue Route
- 20.1 mi off the Exton Bypass
- 20.8 mi off the Brandywine Valley Scenic Byway, National
- 25.4 mi off the Bayshore Heritage Byway, National
Overlooks nearby
- Hawk Point · 25 mi
- Scenic Overlook - Delaware River · 29 mi
- South Overlook · 29 mi
- Old Mill Overlook · 29 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Gambol II Mare and Foal: 0.1 mi
- Schiller: 0.1 mi
- Gambol II Mare and Foal: 0.1 mi
- Night: 0.2 mi
- Pavillion In The Trees: 0.2 mi
- Pavilion in the Trees: 0.2 mi
- Civil War Monument: 0.4 mi
- George and Meta Conor-Wood Memorial: 0.4 mi
- Smith Memorial Arch: 0.4 mi
- Law, Prosperity, and Power: 0.6 mi
- Centennial Arboretum: 0.2 mi
- Cadwalader Tract: 4.1 mi
- Williamson Road Site: 5.3 mi
- Upper Roxborough Reservoir Park: 5.4 mi
- Black Rock Road Site: 5.6 mi
- Please Touch Museum: 0.2 mi
- Cedar Grove: 0.5 mi
- Underground Railroad Museum at Belmont Mansion: 0.7 mi
- Mount Pleasant: 0.7 mi
- New Africa Center: 1.0 mi
- Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park: 0.3 mi
- East Parkside Tot Lot: 0.7 mi
- Clara Muhammad Square: 0.7 mi
- God is Great Park: 0.8 mi
- 52nd Street Playground: 0.9 mi
- Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge: 1.0 mi
- Discovery Center at East Park Reservoir: 1.1 mi
- WildWorks Ropes Course: 1.1 mi
- American Bandstand: 1.6 mi
- Adrian Balboa & Paulie Pennino: 2.1 mi
- Spiritual Harvest Garden: 1.1 mi
- Mill Creek Farm: 1.1 mi
- Aspen Farm: 1.1 mi
- Mantua Peace Garden: 1.2 mi
- Urban Tree Connection: 1.3 mi
- Picnic Area 1: 0.5 mi
- Picnic Area 5: 0.5 mi
- Picnic Area 4: 0.5 mi
- Picnic Area 3: 0.5 mi
- Picnic Area 2: 0.5 mi
- Georges Hill: 0.6 mi
- Lemon Hill: 1.4 mi
- Fairmount: 2.0 mi
- Chestnut Hill: 6.7 mi
- Sugarloaf Hill: 7.0 mi
- Historical "Ancient Indian Spring": 3.7 mi
- West Branch Trout Creek Spring: 11.9 mi
- Magnesium Spring: 23.0 mi
- Sulphur Spring: 23.1 mi
- Yellow Spring: 23.2 mi
- King of Prussia Service Plaza: 11.2 mi
- Wawa Truck Stop: 17.0 mi
- Deepwater Rest Area: 24.7 mi
- Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse: 9.4 mi
- Monkey Rock: 10.8 mi
- Darling: 14.6 mi
- Washington Lake Beach: 17.8 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 25 miles of Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Rock Hill | WNW 293° | 188 m | 17.0 mi |
| Mount Misery | WNW 298° | 176 m | 15.7 mi |
| Buckingham Mountain | NNE 21° | 158 m | 24.8 mi |
| Spring Mountain | NNW 327° | 151 m | 23.5 mi |
| Harmony Hill | W 270° | 146 m | 24.6 mi |
| Ebright Azimuth | WSW 238° | 137 m | 19.1 mi |
| Chestnut Hill | N 2° | 136 m | 6.7 mi |
| Hunting Hill | W 263° | 125 m | 12.6 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:05 | 18:37 | 19:13 |
| June solstice | 05:33 | 19:53 | 20:34 |
| September equinox | 06:49 | 18:24 | 19:00 |
| December solstice | 07:20 | 15:56 | 16:39 |
Local time (America/New_York).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 35 | 37 | 45 | 56 | 66 | 75 | 80 | 78 | 72 | 60 | 49 | 40 |
| Precip in | 3.6 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 4.3 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Phila Franklin Inst, 3 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOfficial siteOpenStreetMap element way/688647034
Day trips start here
- Philadelphia/West · 0 mi
- Philadelphia/Northwest · 1 mi
- Narberth · 3 mi
- Philadelphia · 3 mi
- Philadelphia/Center City West · 3 mi
- Ardmore · 4 mi
Take the scenic way to Shofuso Japanese House and Garden.
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