| Historical Narrative of Shofuso Chapter 5 SHOFUSO BECOMES A PART OF PHILADELPHIA 5.1 The First Few Years of Shofuso in Philadelphia Until 1960, the House had either very little or no furnishings or decoration. The objects from the Museum were still not yet released from bond, and so could not be sent to Philadelphia. This perhaps explains the response of some of the early Philadelphia visitors, such as Leonore Toll, who wrote to The Evening Bulletin that, "We had high hopes of seeing some Japanese culture but were totally dismayed to find that all we got for our money was a view of a building seen from the outside, with no furniture, no decor of any kind or no description of the type of architecture or use of the bare rooms." It appears that the descriptive flyer written by Arthur Drexler for the New York exhibit was not initially distributed in Philadelphia (see Appendix D). Still, even with the objects in the House, the austerity of Shofuso was sometimes confusing to American visitors. A MoMA spokesman noted, We might have made the point clearer if we had showed more storage closets full of objects such as clothing, beds, additional scrolls, arm rests, cosmetics, linens, etc. Some people don’t realize that things are put away when not in use and it’s not an austere or monk-like way of life. In addition to the lack of objects and furnishings, visitors like Toll experienced another difference as compared to their counterparts in New York. At the Museum, visitors removed their shoes, which they carried in a paper bag, and wore paper slippers. This allowed them to have a more genuine Japanese experience. In Japan, shoes are removed before entering a house because this protects the tatami mats and is also more hygienic. In exchange for this minor inconvenience, the Japanese Exhibition House guests were allowed to walk through each of the rooms, including the main Shoin room and the second room, which were covered entirely with tatami. In fact, they were even allowed to try out the zabuton seat cushions. A newspaper columnist who visited Shofuso noted, "In each room of the house where pillows were provided we found a waiting line of persons eager to adopt a squatting posture while contemplating the Oriental architecture." However, because of the high level of foot traffic, these floor coverings became quickly worn and had to be replaced after each season. The Fairmount Park Commission could not afford to regularly replace the tatami. To reduce this expenditure, visitors of the House in Philadelphia were not allowed to walk through the House. Instead, people kept their shoes on and viewed these rooms from the veranda through plastic covered openings. This policy was led by William Noble, Fairmount Park Commission Director. The Commission was budget conscious, realizing that allowing people to walk through the House, even without shoes, would cause a significant amount of wear and tear. On the other hand, the Commission President, John B. Kelly felt that the implementation of regular tea ceremonies would be an ideal use for the House. His recommendations appear not to have been implemented. 5.2 Issues of Vandalism For about one decade from 1958 until the late 1960s, it appears that Shofuso was continually open to the public. The house and garden were basically maintained, and there appears not to have been any extraordinary occurrences during this time period (see Figures 5-1, 5-2). However, reminiscent of the Niomon, vandalism eventually plagued Shofuso. Ironically, MoMA’s press release announcing the House’s move to Philadelphia stated the reason this city was chosen was that, "the [Fairmount Park] Commission has an outstanding record of maintaining and displaying historic houses." Shofuso was being built in a park which was suffering from inadequate funding and staff, and specifically on a site where a similar structure, the Niomon, was badly vandalized until it met its final sad fate. Vandalism and theft in Fairmount Park as a whole appear to have increased since the late 1960s; at the very least such incidents were being more widely publicized. Damage to Shofuso was especially ruthless in the 1970s. Some of the more significant incidents include one in July, 1971, when vandals damaged the shoji and fusuma doors. Graffiti was scribbled on the fusuma of the bathroom. In 1974 there were three reported incidents of vandals. In the first two, they tore shoji and fusuma, and broke vases (see Figure 5-3). A significant amount of damage resulted from these incidences. In the third later that year, a small fire was set, which fortunately was taken under control. The situation did not improve when the Fairmount Park police ceased to be a separate entity in May, 1972, and this 104 year old unit merged with the Philadelphia Police Department. Instead, there was merely a division of the Philadelphia police to protect the Park that did not have the same impact as the earlier independent force. One of the advantages the Fairmount Park police had was their Guard Mounted Unit, which effectively patrolled the Park with officers on horseback. In addition, the neighborhood in West Philadelphia surrounding the Park was changing. After World War II, the area had become economically depressed and neglected. Crime became more of a factor, which in turn affected Shofuso. As with the Niomon, a major issue was a lack of adequate fencing surrounding the house. Traditionally, Japanese houses are surrounded on all sides by a plaster wall topped with clay tiles, to ensure privacy for a home that is so exposed to its environment, especially during the summer seasons when sh_ji are usually open, and sometimes completely taken down. Shofuso, however, was only partially protected by such walls (see Figure 5-4). This problem was even addressed by the architect of the House, Junzo Yoshimura. A letter from Fairmount Park Information Officer Dick Nicolai in June, 1970, asked Yoshimura to offer suggestions on how best to place a fence that would curb the increase in vandalism. The architect visited the House a month later with Park Director Bernard J. Willgruber and suggested wrought iron pickets set in concrete, which would better protect Shofuso, but would still allow the House to continue to be seen from Lansdowne Drive, as requested by the Park Commissioner. A 1972 bid requested for a metal fence to protect Shofuso resulted in two proposals that were both too expensive. Although there a suggestion by Robert C. McConnell, Director of the Fairmount Park Commission, to consider a wooden fence which could be less costly, this attempt went nowhere and resulted in no fence. 5.3 Continued Use of the House and Garden At the same time vandalism was on the rise at Shofuso, the House continued to be a well-liked attraction in Philadelphia. By the early 1970s, wedding parties often came to the Shofuso garden to have their wedding pictures taken. For a brief period, tea ceremonies became a regular activity at the House. In 1972 four Japanese women, Y_ko Miyoshi, Keiko Ono, Yuriko Miyata and Kumiko Wakisaka, whose husbands were University of Pennsylvania students, were hired to perform the ceremonies at 2 p.m. daily. Even after the severe vandalism of the House in 1974, the House appears to have been open to the public. In November, 1974, a visitor to Shofuso was dismayed that "We paid the admission fee to view a completely wrecked interior of a once lovely house!" By the following year, however, the House would be closed in preparation for restoration in time for the American Bicentennial. Click here to go to Chapter 6 |
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