Shofuso Japanese House and Gardens brings a piece of Japan to Philly

PHILADELPHIA -- The head gardening curator of the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center calls the venue a feeling.

He says entering these grounds can transport you to another time and place.

"It's almost like you're not in Philadelphia anymore," says Sandi Polyakov.
"The setting, the architecture, it's all there to convey a sense of feeling," Polyakov says. "The idea of peace and emptiness and quiet beauty were very important in 16th-century Japan. These traditions have carried on for hundreds of years, including today."

In particular, it's the 16th, 17th-century Japan that Shofuso specializes in.

The house was built in 1953 and given to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In 1958, it was donated to Philadelphia where it has stood as a cultural center, museum and beautiful destination ever since.

"People are getting more and more interested in Japanese culture," says Executive Director Kazumi Teune. "Our mission is to share the Japanese culture in Philadelphia. People are embracing shogun culture, anime, samurai, sake and it's all here. Throughout the year we have programs that celebrate the Japanese culture."

For more information and to lose yourself in a Zen Buddhist temple, please visit https://japanphilly.org