Shofuso

The weather forecast for the next week or so looks gorgeous! It is the perfect time to come and explore the very beautiful grounds of the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. We are open Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm. To reserve tickets please visit https://japanphilly.org/shofuso/

This weekend (9/6-9/8), we are proudly hosting the Ikebana International (I.I.) Philadelphia Chapter 71 Exhibition. Come out to see beautiful ikebana arrangements created by practitioners from various schools.The arrangements will be displayed throughout the house, garden and veranda. The exhibition is included in admission. Our hours this weekend are 11am-5pm. To reserve tickets please visit
https://japanphilly.org/shofuso/

Thank you to Jason Nark, of the Philadelphia Inquirer for sharing his experience at Shofuso. We are so glad that you were able to find peace and tranquility. We hope that you visit again soon.🍃🤍

Searching for peace and quiet, near and far, in Pennsylvania A handful of locations have been nominated as Quiet Parks in Pennsylvania, everywhere from Fairmount Park to vast forests out west.

Enjoy a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony at Shofuso! 🍵

Sign up for the next demonstration on Sunday, September 22nd at 1:00 PM or 2:30 PM! Tickets are limited; to register: https://ow.ly/laKB50Tc0Tv

Admission to Shofuso is included in the ticket!

Wishing everyone a beautiful Labor Day. While the Summer maybe “over” you can still explore the grounds at Shofuso throughout the Fall. We are closed Mondays and are open Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm until October 27th. Enjoy your day off and hope you to see you soon. 🍃🫶

JASGP members are invited to join us for an exclusive sneak peek of our annual Ikebana Exhibition this Thursday, September 5th from 5pm - 7pm. Meet the ikebana practitioners, enjoy light refreshments, and view the exhibit before it opens to the public.

📌 Members can RSVP for this event at :
https://ow.ly/JEFo50TbXsK

The exhibition will be open to the public from Friday, September 6 through Sunday, September 8 during Shofuso's regular opening hours, and it's included in admission to the garden. Tickets to Shofuso can be purchased in advance at https://ow.ly/yjEJ50TbXsM

Explore the Art of Ikebana at Shofuso!

We are thrilled to host an exhibition honoring Ikebana International Philadelphia Chapter 71 and their incredible support 🙌

Discover the beauty of ikebana arrangements created by talented practitioners from various schools, adorning our historic house.

📅 When: September 6-8
⏰ Time: 11 AM - 5 PM
🎟️ Included in Shofuso admission

Thank you very much for the 💚 .

Take in lush greenery in Philadelphia🌿

Transport yourself across the Pacific at , a replica of a traditional 17th century Japanese home in West Fairmount Park offering a serene space to relax. Highlights include a pond garden with tiered waterfall, koi fish, and a tea garden with a traditional tea house.

Click the link in our bio for more ways to enjoy the outdoors in Philadelphia 🔗

photo by 📸

Thank you for sharing the beauty of Shofuso. It certainly is a great day to visit. ☀️⛲️🌿

Soaking in the zen vibes at . ✨
Link in bio to learn more!

📸:

The Philadelphia Obon Festival continues this important Shofuso tradition, to light lanterns and float them on Shofuso’s pond on August 17th. This night of remembrance and commemoration is dedicated to those no longer with us. Each registered participant will be able to choose if they would like to launch floating lanterns on Shofuso’s pond or simply observe the serenity of the experience.

Obon is a series of Summer events in Japan based on Buddhist and ancestral worship that enshrine and celebrate the spirits of ancestors. Typically, people return to their hometowns to celebrate Obon each year. Families gather, clean their graveyard and the shrine in their house, and light lanterns to welcome the spirits home. Mukaebi is the welcoming fire, or opening night of Obon. After the spirits spend a few days with family, the Bon-Odori dancers form a circle under the lanterns to guide the spirits back to the otherworld. This is the Okuribi, or culmination of Obon when the ancestors are sent back to the spirit world.

Details:
Beginning at 7:30 PM, registered participants can launch floating lanterns on Shofuso’s pond to honor loved ones. Doors open right at 7:30 PM. There will be food and drinks for those in attendance, as well as a musical performance on Koto by Mirai Yasuyama. The cost of $35 includes a floating lantern. Observer (without lantern) is $25. Members must sign in to get $10 off at checkout. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.

Last night, the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia hosted the first of two Obon Lantern Floating Ceremonies. To say the night was magical would be an understatement.

During the ceremony, participants were invited to light lanterns and float them on the pond in remembrance and commemoration to those no longer with us. It was such a special night.

To purchase tickets for next Saturday’s final Obon Lantern Floating Ceremony, please click on the link below:

https://japanphilly.org/?event=20240817-lantern-floating&event_date=2024-08-17

There is a very special event going on tonight at Shofuso. The Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia will host the first of two Obon lantern floating ceremonies at Shofuso.

While tonight's ceremony is sold out, tickets are still on sale for next Saturday's event.

Tickets for the August 17th ceremony can be purchased here:
https://japanphilly.org/?event=20240817-lantern-floating&event_date=2024-08-17

2024 Obon Lantern Floating Ceremony - Okuribi The Philadelphia Obon Festival continues this important Shofuso tradition, to light lanterns and float them on Shofuso’s pond. This night of remembrance and commemoration is dedicated to those no longer with us. Each registered participant will be able to choose if they would like to launch floati...

The weather is simply gorgeous! ☀️It’s a great day to visit and explore the beautiful grounds at Shofuso. Admission to the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center is by timed ticket only and capacity is limited. Tickets can be purchased online at https://japanphilly.org/shofuso/. 🌸🏯

Jason Finkelman, Shofuso's artist-in-residence will be performing musical soundscapes inspired by the house and garden from 5-7pm tonight at our member's only night.

Members enter free and can bring guests for $5/person. RSVP at https://japanphilly.org/event/members-only-night-240808/?event_date=2024-08-08

Jason's residency will close with a performance during the closing reception of the "Community of Images: Japanese Moving Image Artists in the US, the 1960s-1970s"

Friday, August 9, 2024
5:00–7:00 PM
Philadelphia Art Alliance
251 South 18th Street, Philadelphia

Musician from Illinois is hosted at Shofuso Japanese House for inspiration This week, an Illinois percussionist returns to his home city for musical inspiration at Shofuso Japanese House

We regret to inform you that due to the forecasted inclement weather this weekend, the 2024 Philadelphia Obon Festival has been cancelled.

The Obon Lantern Floating Ceremony for Aug. 10 has been postponed to Aug. 11, 7:30–9:30 PM.

The Aug. 17 ceremony is expected to be held as scheduled but is subject to postponement depending on the weather.

For questions, concerns, or to reschedule your Aug. 10 lantern floating ticket for Aug. 17, please email us at [email protected].

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting Daisha Jones from PHL17 at Shofuso. Daisha interviewed Kazumi Teune, Executive Director of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia about the history and culture at Shofuso. Thank you so much Daisha and team for coming to visit!

Experience history and culture at Shofuso Japanese House and Garden Shofuso Japanese House and Garden is a 17th-century style house and garden that is located in West Fairmount Park. Architect Junzo Yoshimura built the home in Japan in 1953 using traditional materi…

From August 5th to 8th, Japanese-American experimental sound artist and percussionist Jason Finkelman returns to his native city for an artistic residency at Shofuso and a performance at the Philadelphia Art Alliance, exploring the intersectionality of Asian American identity and creative process.

The artistic residency at Shofuso, will provide Finkelman time to further explore his distinct ambient, avant world sound by recording natural and ambient sounds of the property to utilize in his laptop electronics performance setup. The residency will close with a public performance with Finkelman presenting an eclectic trio of improvising musicians featuring theremin player and keyboardist Joy Yang of Urbana and New York City-based guitarist Geoff Gersh.

In collaboration with the “Community of Images: Japanese Moving Image Artists in the US, 1960s-1970s” exhibition Collaborative Cataloging Japan the concert will be presented at Philadelphia Art Alliance on August 9, 2024, 5-7pm.

Bon Odori Dance Practice

During Obon, festival-goers perform folk dances called bon odori. These folk dances began as a Buddhist practice, but have become secularized and are now associated with the Japanese summer festival season. Learn about the history of bon dance – and practice for the Obon Festival – on Saturday, July 27th & Saturday August 3rd. Practice will take place outside of Shofuso from 1PM – 2PM with Seabrook Minyo Dance Group.

Please visit the website, Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, https://japanphilly.org
click on events to register.

On August 17, 2024 Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia will close the special exhibition Okaeri (Welcome Home): The Nisei Legacy at Shofuso.

This site-based multimedia exhibit tells the story of the Nisei (second-generation), American-born persons of Japanese descent, and their unique connection and contributions to Shofuso. Focusing on the early 1980s to late 1990s, this exhibit explores the Nisei leaders who organized the Friends of the Japanese House & Garden, a volunteer-led non-profit organization that oversaw the restoration and maintenance of Shofuso until its merger with JASGP in 2016.

The Okaeri exhibit was launched in tandem with the 2023 Obon, a Japanese Buddhist festival honoring departed ancestors, similar to Dia de los Mu***os. According to Japanese folklore, spirits of the ancestors return to visit during the late summer months of July and August. In keeping with tradition, JASGP chose the 2024 Obon to close the Okaeri exhibit as a symbolic gesture to commemorate the efforts of the Nisei activists before sending them on their way.

Thank you to 週刊NY生活 デジタル版 (NY Seikatsu) this wonderful piece abut Shofuso!

日本文化の心を受け継ぐ、東海岸の文化交流拠点「松風荘」 日本文化の心を受け継ぐ、東海岸の文化交流拠点「松風荘」 コラム, フィラデルフィア物語 ー息づく日米交流ー　穎川廉, 注目記事 07/17/202407/17/2024 NYS 　「まるで日本にいるみたいですね」と言った私に対して「いいえ。こ....

It is going to be a great night! 🪘

Join us at Shofuso next week for a night of Taiko drumming performed by the Peaceful Forest family! As part of his dream to perform 1,000 shows across all 50 states, Takumi Kato and his three sons will visit Shofuso on their road trip tour across the U.S., making a one-night stop here in Philadelphia.

The first half of the night will be dedicated to the taiko drumming performance, with the second half dedicated to a Q&A session. Any questions, please contact [email protected]

Book tickets here: https://ow.ly/J5L550SAUG8

Friday, July 19, 2024
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Shofuso

$25 JASGP Members | $30 Non-members

Join us at Shofuso next week for a night of Taiko drumming performed by the Peaceful Forest family! As part of his dream to perform 1,000 shows across all 50 states, Takumi Kato and his three sons will visit Shofuso on their road trip tour across the U.S., making a one-night stop here in Philadelphia.

The first half of the night will be dedicated to the taiko drumming performance, with the second half dedicated to a Q&A session. Any questions, please contact [email protected]

Book tickets here: https://ow.ly/J5L550SAUG8

Friday, July 19, 2024
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Shofuso

$25 JASGP Members | $30 Non-members

It’s a beautiful day to explore the grounds and gardens at Shofuso. It’s the perfect way to relax and unwind before the busy work week.
Purchase tickets here.

https://japanphilly.org/shofuso/

Looking for something different to do this 4th of July weekend? How about visit the beautiful gardens of Shofuso. It's a quiet oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia. An afternoon to remember, we promise!

https://japanphilly.org/shofuso/

Today, we had the honor of hosting Daisha Jones from PHL17 at Shofuso. Daisha interviewed Kazumi Teune, Executive Director of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia for an upcoming feature segment called Destination PA. As Daisha put it, “I go around and highlight fun/cool places in our area that people should know about”…. Thank you, Daisha, for coming to visit us today!

Happy Summer Solstice ☀️ It's the longest day of the year! Soak in the sun by the pond or relax in the shaded sanctuary of the house. We might be biased, but we think Shofuso is the best place to celebrate the changing of the seasons. What's your favorite thing about Shofuso in the summer? Let us know in the comments! 👇

📢 Our unique house and garden need your support to preserve the only Japanese space in Philadelphia. Join us in safeguarding this gem by making a gift today at japanphilly.org/campaign. Every contribution, no matter the amount, assists us in maintaining the beauty and tranquility of Shofuso for all to enjoy.

Thank you Mick Jagger for stopping by Shofuso last week. On behalf of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, we hope you enjoyed our house and garden as much as we do! It’s a beautiful and tranquil hidden treasure right in the heart of .

These adorable children had quite the adventure today at Shofuso. Thank you to for sharing your beautiful photos with us! 💚🧡♥️