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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

Official site

How to reach it

Coordinates39.98124, -75.21282

Overlooks nearby

Named places within 25 miles

Historic sites
  • 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
Nature reserves
Museums
Parks
  • 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
Attractions
Gardens
  • 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 sites: 36
  • 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
Peaks: 31
  • Georges Hill: 0.6 mi
  • Lemon Hill: 1.4 mi
  • Fairmount: 2.0 mi
  • Chestnut Hill: 6.7 mi
  • Sugarloaf Hill: 7.0 mi
Springs: 6
Rest areas: 3
Lighthouses: 1
Cliffs: 1
  • Monkey Rock: 10.8 mi
Ghost towns: 1
Beaches: 1
  • 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.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Diamond Rock HillWNW 293°188 m17.0 mi
Mount MiseryWNW 298°176 m15.7 mi
Buckingham MountainNNE 21°158 m24.8 mi
Spring MountainNNW 327°151 m23.5 mi
Harmony HillW 270°146 m24.6 mi
Ebright AzimuthWSW 238°137 m19.1 mi
Chestnut HillN 2°136 m6.7 mi
Hunting HillW 263°125 m12.6 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0518:3719:13
June solstice05:3319:5320:34
September equinox06:4918:2419:00
December solstice07:2015:5616:39

Local time (America/New_York).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F353745566675807872604940
Precip in3.63.34.54.04.14.84.74.94.94.13.44.3

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 site

OpenStreetMap element way/688647034

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