To get the best experience, find one of the guides!Ive been here 2x, the difference being - the second time, I had followed to the tour guide (Jill) as she explained in greater depth all the intricacies, historic culture, and architecture specifics of the house. The stories and explanations Jill told, completely changed the experience. I wanted to write this review mostly because I think its important to know - find and listen to the guide!PS. A great time to go to the garden is when it rains! And they also host tea ceremonies occasionally

Such a beautiful outdoor experience, even during the pandemic.I felt very safe exploring here as masks were mandatory. The structure and trees were so well kept and the entire visit felt so serene.

Nice little area to walk interesting history we used the Groupon which made it a good deal. Afterwards you can walk the park area and pick chestnuts from the ground which kids enjoyed cracking it open. The kids especially enjoyed all the koi fish

Shofuso Japanese Garden at philadelphia have very beautiful surrounded area but there is ticket for Japanese house, which is also beautiful, if someone is interested to know culture. I been to japanese garden in seattle and portland, they are much more beautiful. Ticket cost does not justify the worth to visit Japanese House. Its better to check with Deals for ticket to visit the place. There is museum which close at 4 PM, and Garden close at 5 PM.

Beautiful,educational, and relaxing experience!* If you come on a cold day make sure u have some thick ! If you go inside the house you must remove your shoes an walk on socks

This was an amazing experience. Truly beautiful.

Beautiful garden you should visit at least once a year. Its a bit small so you should plan for just one hour and then visit the park and trails surrounding it.

Very neat little treasure in Fairmount park. The house is surrounded by a beautiful garden, with a pond filled with koi fish. I had the opportunity to feed the fish, which was very nice. Sitting in the garden is quite meditative and relaxing. Was told to come back on a rainy day to watch the rain from the house and I am certainly looking forward to that.

This may now be my favorite place in the entire Philadelphia area. Serene, beautiful, culturally enriching with the opportunity to observe and learn. I wish I could live here!Cannot recommend enough buying a cup of food to feed the Koi, it was the highlight for sure. ($2)

During these crazy times of pandemics and political unrest I find the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden such a beautiful outdoor experience. It just feels modest yet ordered in a way that offers perfection in bundles. The only downside is we had to wear masks.

It was interesting extremely small but if you wanna see how the Japanese culture lived years and years ago its a nice place to visit I spent plenty of time in Japan. The water ponds are pretty, and all they need there is a small Ramen vendor to have a small bowl soup why you can enjoy the Japanese style soups from the traditional street vendors and enjoy the atmosphere while in the park its a great place to visit...... They really need to consider getting a vendor there a Japanese Ramen vendor.

I cant wait to go back I couldve stayed the day there

Very fun! The tour guides are great and friendly and knowledgeable. Very clean as well! Definitely spend then$2 to feed to koi fish - entertaining and worth it!!

Not fun with kids, it’s far too small and FAR too overpriced . Get a groupon or use access card if you have one . But even with groupon it’s not worth it for me. I thought I’d be enjoying decent walking trail but no, it’s literally a tiny house that you walk in one way and exit near entrance. You cannot eat or drink (water only ) and feeding fish is $2 for a ketchup condiment cup. I need to stress again it’s VERY SMALL “GARDEN” u go on a CIRCLE and that’s all. Pictures make it seem to have a decent amount of attractions and a decent trail but no.... it’s a tiny circle, in the house and back out. Would you pay over $15 to feed fish? Your choice.

Took the wife here and we loved it, reminded us of our trip to Kurokawa Onsen in Kyushu. Smaller than I thought it was going to be but well worth the visit.

Its ok, but was genuinely surprised to see how small the space was. It was a little bigger than a usual suburban backyard. Ticket price was $12 per person. Essentially theres just a house and a large pond. You do feel like you are in Japan. Had People working there sported japanese dresses, the effect would have only been amplified. A little Japanese background music would have been nice too

Peaceful and beautiful. A gem in philly

Beautiful and quiet Japanese garden with an amazing traditional Japanese structure. The staff were friendly and helpful. It was smaller than I had anticipated but well worth the price of admission!

Gorgeous traditional Japanese house and garden just minutes out of the city. A serene afternoon. Take your camera

Very educational! Small but fun. Buy the food and feed the Koi fish.

A beautiful serene gem in the city of brotherly love. They have self-guided tours or tour guides. Admission is discounted with a student ID, but reasonable nonetheless. You can feed the koi, catfish and turtles of the pond for 2 dollars a cup. Best to bring cash. Shoes are not to be worn inside of the house, but are permitted at all other areas of the park. Cant wait to go again in the summer.

Seriously, this japanese garden is a joke. It literally ends where it starts. On top of it they charge $12 for the visit. Was in and out in TWO minutes. I have been to the Seattle japanese garden and it is so expansive and beautiful! Highly disappointed!

The place is as wonderful as they come! Beautiful and relaxing! They have tea ceremonies on certain dates!However, theres one downside: for 12 dollars per person its fairly small, and you can practically see and enjoy everything from the fence outside.. Plus the park is right there, so you even have benches..

Nice chill spot. I would come here to blow off some steam.

Very small, not worth the money, people were pushy and borderline rude. I would not recommend this place.

It was amazing! I loved every minute of it! Whether it was feeding the koi fish in their beautiful pond, or learning about the history of the magnificent house from the kind staff.

It was very fun especially the koi fish I could only imagine how fun it could without COVID 19. There was cool souvenirs. The house was extremely pretty along with the garden. The guide was very helpful. Even though it has the restrictions, it was still AMAZING as well as fun; I could spend hours there.

Ive always loved visiting this place and still do.

Small but beautiful self-guided Japanese house. However they do have guides on the premises that make it an even better experience! I liked Candice especially. She was very thorough and seemed to have a personal interest in the culture itself, which showed while explaining areas of the house. I would definitely visit again.Pics attached are of the bath, toilet area, tearoom and the grounds.

So Calmly Beautiful !!!We being planning to go to this Real Gem in Philadelphia for some time now,finally we made and were just stunned for the Beauty, the Peace and Well being that you can see,perceive and breathe in this real Japanese House(or Museum).The almost hidden area,the delicate care that is being put into it,the so friendly and accommodating staff make Shofuso a very Special and Unique place.The House,The Culture,The Trees, The Pond, The Fishes.Please come to this Exceptional learning experience.

Although this space was closed, its a great spot for a photoshoot.

Beautiful, beautiful place!!! With everything thats goin on in 2020, take sum time 4 yrself & go visit...... PERFECT place 2 becum 1 with the universe. Blessins 2 all!!!

Very accurate Japanese house and garden. A must see in Philadelphia.

We were really excited to visit Shofuso. They greeted us well and explained the rules for COVID. My partner and I went to take a picture my the pond when no one was around. We went to take our masks off for just a second to snap the picture and was scolded by an employee who was clearly having a bad day. She was incredible condescending and rude about us keeping the masks on, we would have been more than happy to keep them on, we just thought it was ok for a second. I was very disappointed in her demeanor and unprofessionalism. It out a really foul tone to our vibe so we left.

Nice place. It was an enjoyable experience. Somewhat small area.

A place worth visiting any day and time but definitely during the cherry blossom festival! The Shofuso Japanese House is beautiful with a serene garden that is so magical.

The Shofuso house is an interesting look into how the wealthy in Japan lived around the middle of the Twentieth century. The day we visited a display of Ikebana was in progress, what a nice surprise! Watching each woman create their own designed flower arrangements in the individual rooms was amazing. My daughter and I marveled at how each person took various natural items and brought them together in wonderful floral creations according to Japanese tradition. Lucky us!

Its as if someone plopped old Japan in the middle of the big city. I felt transformed I to a different world. So serene. Beautiful place for photo ops.

Very beautiful scenery. Lovely place to visit.

It was fine. A nice place to go .

Beautiful place, small a,little bit but let you have a wise moment. Dont forget to write something in the wish tree.

Gorgeous and very relaxing. We had such a peaceful experience.

Nice place, small, but very nice. It feels like your getting away from the world for just a moment Wish it was move to do for the price

Definitely worth the trip to see the most authentic traditional Japanese architectural design outside of Japan. Very cool atmosphere.

A little peace of Japan right in the heart of Philadelphia.

Beautiful garden, the house was a traditional Japanese home showcasing simplistic living and classic Japanese architecture. Amazing!!!! A must see for anyone interested in Japanese culture or a simplified life style. There is not a gift shop however there are two small tables with Japanese trinkets and books available for purchase. Parking is free!!!

Amazing place. We visited just today. Tomorrow its gonu be cherry blossom festival in the park. There are so many cherry blossom trees in the park with pink and white flowers. There are fountains too. Kids have a gala time playing in the grass. Entry fees to Shofuso house is 8 $ per person. Theres a koi pond inside. A must go in summer with family and friends. Wonderful vibe, happy smiling people enjoying colorful cherry blossom.

Really beautiful place, feeding the koi was so much fun, I just wish there was either more information in the actual house or more items to view in the house.

What a pleasant surprise to find whats almost a secret Japanese garden located in Philly! A beautiful place with an engaging story. The creative and detailed craftsmanship are incredible. The staff and volunteers help you understand how form and function are blended in almost every aspect of the architecture. The garden grounds are charming and serene.

Little bit small for american eye but I love it! Especially their KOI

So beautiful and serene. I had a hard time leaving this place because of how at peace I was here. It was almost like stepping back in time. The staff are very friendly and informative and the koi you can feed are large. My only regret from this trip, was not being able to give a tip to the tour guide.

I expected more from this Japanese garden after reading all the reviews.First, the price. Entrance for adult-$10. If you have a student id with you-$5.Second, the size of the place. If is to small... And I think $10 is a lot for 20 minutes walking. First you enter Japanese house( you have to remove your shoes before entering, socks required), there are room, bathrooms, restrooms. Then you go outside and you see beautiful garden with trees. Garden is nice and for some time you can feel that you are in Japan.

Absolutely breathtaking views with a knowledgeable and fun staff. The koi pond is beautiful, and I highly recommend hand feeding the fish! You will not be disappointed with the calm, meditative environment this location envokes.

Nestled between Belmont Avenue and I-76, is a beautiful slice of unbothered nature. Surrounded by an even greater piece of Fairmount Park. Its intimate setting brings about a sense of serenity Saddening that man feels the need for the constant construction that chips away at part of what the world needs.

A truly beautiful place. Its the kind of place thats good to visit if you want to breathe deep and clear your head. Its a serene place where you can really get in touch with nature. Its especially nice to stand by the waterside and feed the koi fish.

The Japanese house is extremely beautiful, and very relaxing. I highly recommend it if youre going solo or for a day-date. If youre a student, and live or travel around the Fairmount area, I would highly recommend you to get the membership here.

This beautiful Adventure only cost $6 you can get fish food for $2 a cup which is well worth it you will see beautiful sights such as the house itself amazing koi fish at love interaction Turtles who also enjoy the interaction this place is quite an amazing adventure along with the architectural design and structure is exquisite and extremely impressive how it was built the people working there are extremely informed and are very outgoing and helpful I hope you enjoy

Such a beautiful place! Would definitely recommend! It’s a very peaceful place and the garden is really nice! The pond has turtles and fishes and is very serene

The best place in Philly! Relaxing calm and content. Recommend to all and is a great culture reference!

I never even knew that this place existed although I’ve been quite near it several times. I had the opportunity to visit with parks on tap. It was a great experience. The grounds are lovely, especially the koi pond. It’s a very natural and serene environment. Perfect for either a family outing or a date. I enjoyed the displays they had—which I believe change regularly. There are also small items for sale.

It was pretty... But maybe not worth the $12 entrance fee. The hours are also a pain.

Shofuso Japanese House is so beautiful. I loved visiting. I will definitely come again. I was there during the Cherry Blossom Festival and had so much fun!

Very Beautiful

Lovely experience, I will definitely return with more friends. Everyone should go visit. It was a refreshing change of scenery.

Beautiful place to visit even the actual Japanese house was closed for obvious reason. You can park inside or on the sidewalk next to the gates.

We visited during the Cherry Blossom/Asian cultural festival so we werent able to go into the house but we were allowed to walk through the garden area and look inside. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and the entire day was enjoyable.

An absolute must in your into Japanese culture. What a beautiful time warp of a place and even though it isnt huge, it was well worth it. Its 12 bucks to get in and you can feed the koi and buy some items.

Its cool and worth it to see. It is small tho so try and groupon it and dont plan to spend a lot of time there

We went here for Parks on tap beer garden. Its an amazing, tranquil and serene place.

Very elegant and picturesque! The house and garden are small as far as total area. However, after youve toured the house and garden its time to chill and relax! Great spot to take pictures! Easily spent an hour here and price is reasonable. My mother and I enjoyed ourselves!

The guides were very informative and helpful, absolutely stunning views, and a wonderful atmosphere

Love this place! Traditional Japanese house and garden you can walk around and experience a historical Japanese house. Beautiful koi pond where you can purchase food to feed the fish. Plenty of guides around to answer questions and give tours. If you have the time absolutely stop by and visit Shofuso!

Such a beautiful place. I recommend taking the time to get away for tranquility.

This was a fantastic exploration through a authentic Japanese house- both with displays and interactive art-ups. The zen garden is beautiful and with plenty of colorful eager koi fish.

A peaceful serene Japanese garden

What a beautiful, peaceful oasis. Visited for Parks on Tap and even in the pouring rain, we had a lovely experience!

Great historical place to visit. Staff are very knowledgeable. Happen to catch a celebration of history on the day I visited. It was quite a treat.

A beautiful little piece of Japan for all to explore.

We went there yesterday and there was nothing to see except the house and some fishes. Quite disappointed that I drove 2 hrs, tolls, gas and $12/adults; $8/kids and saw nothing

Unique experience. Beautiful and very peaceful.

Beautiful gem in the pocket of Philly

Its a beautiful Japanese house and garden.Its pretty small though. Youre pretty much done within 15 minutes.The house is a traditional Japanese house all with the sliding doors and mats. To get into the house, you must take off your shoes.

It is absolutely gorgeous here. I would highly recommend this place for anyone who is interested in Japanese architecture and history.

This place is so little and when theres is too much people everywhere in that little tiny garden you cant even take Instagramable photos. It a beautiful place its thrue but too expensive for the size. You visit it in 15 mins max...

Nice and chill...now my son wants a fish

Beautiful grounds, so much info about the house and knowledgeable docents. Feeding the koi was SO cool. The website suggests to plan 30 minutes for your visit. We were there 90 and could have stayed longer if we didnt need to get my niece to work!

The Japanese house is ok to visit. The entrance cost is way too much considering what we get to see inside. But the surrounding area is amazing with all the trees.

The Shofuso Japanese House and Gardens a very peaceful and relaxing atmosphere with the surrounding views of the beautiful Fairmount Park!

This is a very beautiful authentic and serene place. I enjoyed dipping into the Japanese culture and feeding the koi fish

Nice and peaceful hidden gem.

One of my favorite places to go in Philadelphia.

Quaint little place for an outing.

Very peaceful place. Interesting history! The rain chains are a beautiful alternative to gutters.

Nice house & clean but hot

Small and cute- not worth $12

Small but beautiful self-guided Japanese House.

Really cool experience walking around and viewing the Japanese house and the knowledgeable personal that work there.

The Japanese culture has always been an interest of mine & my children. We especially loved feeding the almost 3 feet long coy, they made us laugh. The garden & house are a unique tranquil space. The staff are intelligent, peaceful. Its a great way to spend a few hours.

Its beautiful and peaceful

Beautiful place and staff are friendly