What does Shofuso mean?
Shofuso means “Pine Breeze Villa.” It was named by Japanese architect Junzo Yoshimura, who designed it in 1953 as part of an exhibition at the New York Museum of Modern Art.
Admission Prices
$12: Adults
$8: Senior citizens
$8: Children 5-17
$8: Students with College ID
$2: ACCESS Cardholders with photo ID, plus up to four family members at $2 each
Free: Members
Free: Children under the age of 5
Free: Philadelphia teens ages 14-19 using the Philly STAMP Pass
Free: Active duty military ID holder plus up to five family members
Groups of ten or more require a reservation. For more information, visit our Group Tours page.
Shofuso is accessible via car, public transportation, and bus. For detailed driving directions, GPS coordinates, and directions for getting to Shofuso via Uber, Lyft, or taxi, please see our Visit page.
Can I take photos or videos on site?
Casual photography and non-commercial videography are allowed at Shofuso during regular hours. Photographers will be chaperoned by a visitor services assistant and must be mindful of other visitors. Tripods are allowed, though they must have rubber tips, especially if they are used inside of the house. Special lighting equipment is not permitted on premises. A full list of guidelines is available in our Photography Policy.
Can I have my wedding or another private event at Shofuso?
We cannot accept any requests for weddings, retreats, or other private events, as we do not currently have the necessary staffing. At this time, we have indefinitely suspended our rentals program.
Are pets allowed at Shofuso? What about service animals?
Pets are not allowed at Shofuso; service animals who have been trained to work or perform certain tasks are allowed. In order to preserve Shofuso’s historic flooring, we ask that service dogs wear soft booties inside of the house. Booties are available to borrow upon request. There are no restrictions on service animals in our garden.
Can I eat at Shofuso?
We do not serve food on site during regular visitation days and do not permit visitors to bring in food. You are welcome to bring a picnic to eat outside in Fairmount Park.
Do you serve tea?
Shofuso hosts scheduled tea ceremony demonstrations through local branches of the Urasenke and Omotesenke tea schools. We also offer the opportunity to study tea ceremony with Urasenke Philadelphia, with two beginner’s sessions scheduled twice a year. Please visit our events calendar or subscribe to our newsletter for the most up to date schedule.
Are the house and garden accessible to wheelchairs or scooters?
Because Shofuso reflects the conditions of seventeenth-century Japan, it is not wheelchair or scooter accessible. Shofuso is not easily accessible to users of walkers, canes, or prosthetics. Those devices are permitted in the house so long as they have rubber tips or are covered in a soft protective covering to preserve our historic flooring. For more information, please see Title II of the ADA.
What should I wear at Shofuso?
Please dress for the weather in seasonally-appropriate clothes, as our house is the same temperature inside as it is outside. High heels and open-toed shoes are not recommended for the garden.
In keeping with Japanese tradition, visitors must remove their shoes before entering the house. Please wear socks or stockings, as bare feet are not permitted; in the event you do not have socks, we ask you to put on disposable peds. Please note that the temperature inside the house is the same as outside - we encourage you to wear thick socks during cooler temperatures in the late fall and spring!
All visitors exiting the house must leave via the front entrance, and shoes must be worn in the garden. Remember, socks that have touched dirt are no better than shoes.
If you are unable to take off your shoes, we can provide shoe covers for you to wear inside the house, though staff will inspect shoes to determine if they would pose the risk of damage to our historic flooring (heels, cleats, steel-toed shoes, etc., will not be allowed in the house.)
Do you allow drones?
Because the house is a historic site and drones pose a risk of accidentally damaging the structures, we have a strict no-drone policy.
Can I cosplay at Shofuso?
Cosplay is permitted at Shofuso, though staff may ask that certain props or costuming that may pose a risk to the house or others be removed. Please be mindful of other visitors and do not bring any costume accessories or props that may damage the house or garden.
