Japan House will be open from 4-6:30pm for Homecoming on Friday, October 20. Please stop by and have a bowl of tea and sweet at our Homecoming Matcha Café and enjoy viewing the progress of the Ogura-Sato Annex.
Catch up with fellow University of Illinois alumni, friends, or family with a bowl of freshly-whisked matcha and a wagashi (traditional Japanese sweet) as you visit the inside of Japan House. There is no formal tea ceremony offered but guests will be able to still enjoy a bowl of matcha (or matcha latte) and kuri manjyu (or mochi for a gluten-free option) made by the Japan House interns. The recipe is featured in Prof. Kimiko Gunji's cookbook, Wagashi: Season by Season. Proceeds support Japan House programming!
To ensure a tranquil experience, pre-orders are strongly encouraged. Walk-ins are welcome but may be limited if the building is at capacity due to high traffic. Guests will be asked to remove their shoes upon arrival to enter the building, or to use provided shoe covers. Guests are encouraged to bring a fresh pair of socks to wear inside. Ticketed cafe guests will be seated at a table.
Enjoy the beautiful Japanese dry rock garden from the inside and admire the view of the Japanese tea rooms. See the equipment and elements of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony featured on our educational display wall, as well as progress on the Ogura-Sato Annex.
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FAQs
What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?
Japan House is located in the Arboretum at the University of Illinois at 2000 S. Lincoln Avenue between Kirby/Florida and Windsor Road. Parking is available in the lot to the north of Japan House (F-31 at St. Mary's Road and Lincoln) and to the south of Japan House (F-32 on Lincoln across from the Vet Med complex). Spaces are marked with a placard and must be paid with Mobile Meter (https://mobilemeter.us/) or Park Mobile (https://parkmobile.io/ ) phone apps, or by calling 217-207-3033. Parking is free after 5pm.
There are bike racks near both parking lots. The MTD Raven comes near Japan House on Lincoln Ave but buses also service PAR/FAR and you may walk from there to Japan House.
The front door is located on the north side of the building. Please note that with current construction, visitors who park at F-32 will have to walk over a small hill to get to the front door. The Ogura-Sato construction zone is fenced off in the driveway including part of the sidewalk. We thank you for your understanding.