The Japanese House is the centerpiece of the Japanese Garden at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Originally commissioned in 1903 by George T. Marsh, an influential promoter of Japanese art and culture, the Japanese House was moved from its original location in Pasadena to Henry Huntington’s San Marino estate after he purchased it in 1911.

With a design blending Japanese and American architecture, the Japanese House is truly a product of turn-of-the-twentieth century Southern California. It features an elaborately curved roof with cedar shingles as well as artistic details including hand-carved wood elements and paintings.

Years of water damage from a leaking roof, weather exposure, a fallen tree, rats, and time had all taken a toll on the Japanese House, and a subsequent sensitive restoration and preservation effort earned it a Conservancy Preservation Award in 2013.