Update on Shofuso’s Opening Date and Ongoing Projects

Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center’s opening is delayed until further notice, dependent on state and city guidelines. The health and safety of our visitors and staff is always our top priority. Meanwhile, we are using this time to complete a Shofuso pond restoration project and general house preservation activities.

We are conducting an exciting historic landscape restoration project. Head Gardener Sandi Polyakov is installing a black pebble beach around the boat landing and bridge, based on a winter consultation with Dr. Tomoki Kato, a leading historic landscape historian and practitioner from Kyoto, Japan.

This black pebble beach was part of the original 1957 landscape design for Shofuso’s garden by our landscape architect Tansai Sano and was typical of 17th-century Japanese gardens. Similar pebble beaches can be seen at Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto as well as at our sister Japanese garden at Pocantico Hills, the Rockefeller Estate in Tarrytown, NY. Even when Shofuso is closed, we are working to ensure the most accurate representation of our historic landscape and the best experiences for our visitors. Please make a contribution to help us make Shofuso available for you and everyone.

We still plan on hosting most of our wonderful JapanPhilly2020 programming, as well as the Shofuso and Modernism: Mid-Century Collaboration between Japan and Philadelphia exhibition. Even with this delay, we know that 2020 will be our most-exciting year yet. We will continue to provide updates on our website as well as on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

Our staff works year-round to produce the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, manage Shofuso, and host many other programs, so please consider a contribution at this time which will ensure our work can continue uninterrupted. We are excited to welcome you to Shofuso this season.