A Visit to the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Philadelphia

Visiting Japan seems to be all the rage nowadays. But what if you could get a little piece of Japan in the U.S. without having to travel all the way to Japan? 

There is a Japanese house and garden right in Philadelphia. I had seen pictures of the cool looking house with cherry blossom trees near it and it just looked so pretty and like a neat place to visit. So when a friend and I were thinking about where we wanted to meet up one afternoon, I suggested Shofuso, the name of this Japanese house and garden.

We went there early on a Saturday afternoon. Read on for my pros and cons.

The Pros

1. The parking is easy with a large parking lot. If you've ever visited Philly, you know parking can be tough most of the time. Not here! I was able to easily find a spot and walk up to the house. 

2. I already had my ticket that I had purchased online. The cost of the ticket was $15, which I didn't find to be bad at all as it included full access to the house, garden, and parking.

3. We went in the house first and it is beautiful on the outside and very easy to walk around on the inside. You take your shoes off before going in which I felt made it more authentic. 

We went on a Saturday and it was not at all crowded inside. The rooms were spacious and it was easy to go from room to room. You could also read a little bit about what was in each room.

4. The atmosphere is very peaceful, especially the garden. There is a pond, trees, and stone paths that make for a calm environment. It is a nice break from being in a busy city or your daily work life. You can sit near the pond and feed the koi fish or walk a little into the woods and discover a Buddha statue. 

5. The photography options are awesome! You can take pictures in the house. You can take pictures in the garden. Your garden pictures will be beautiful. If you're into photography, this will be a place you'll love. 

The Cons

1. There isn't much to the house when you walk in. There are a few rooms and a few things to read but it is fairly empty. It doesn't take more than a few minutes to walk around in there.

2. I don't know if this is always the case but on the Saturday we went, there wasn't a tour of the house or any guides inside explaining anything. We simply walked through and looked around.

3. The area Shofuso is located in is off to itself. There aren't any food options here.

4. If you are on a time crunch (we were), just be aware that the drive in can get backed up.

5. There was a table full of souvenirs but not anything that caught my eye. I think if there was a magnet, pen, Japanese-themed candy, or just anything fairly cheap really themed to Shofuso or Japan, I would have bought it. It seemed like just some random stuff to me. My friend did see a bundle of straw diffusers she bought.

6. I think especially on a Saturday, there could be more going on here, such as Japanese tea sampling with snacks, a craft class, or tours. 

Would I recommend visiting here? Would I come back? My answer is Yes! I would definitely come back to do more photography, spend a peaceful time near the pond feeding the fish or explore the garden more. I know they do have occasional tea events so I would come back to check out an event as well. 

Shofuso is in Fairmont Park so there are also other attractions nearby like the zoo I'd like to check out. If it's a nice day I might even park in the Shofuso lot and walk to the zoo, about a 30 minute walk. 

If you are traveling a distance, keep in mind the house is small. You might want to have in mind to  have another place in Philly go to for lunch or dinner after visiting to get the most out of the outing or pack a lunch for a picnic in Fairmont Park just outside the gates.