The Best Japanese Festivals & Events on the Web

June 2023 Events    Popular Popular ObonsJun-Sep  New82 Japanese Festivals 129 Hidden GemsNew
Fred Korematsu DayFeb Cherry Blossom EventsFeb-Apr Cherry Blossom LocationsFeb-Apr Cherry Blossom MapFeb-Apr Popular Obons  Obon Festivals (Only):  91   Obon Practices (Only):  49   Obon Festivals & Practice:  139 Jun-Aug   Nisei Week Tips in Little TokyoAug 2023

Explore 

All Japantowns 

Find 

Best Japanese Places 

 

Japantown Maps 

Let's Go to Japan

 Japan TravelNew    Add Event

Explore All Japanese Events & Locations

  Show Menu
×
2023 Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple Obon Summer Festival Event, Los Angeles, Japantown (Bon Odori, Taiko, Bingo, Games, Japanese Food..) 2 Days
2023 - 8th Annual 'Delicious Little Tokyo' Food History Tour Event, JANM (Educational Walking and Food Tasting Tour of Little Tokyo Japantown)
2023 JANM Annual Natsumatsuri Family Festival Event Summer Celebration (Bon Odori, Life Performers, Hula, Tea Ceremony, Taiko, Crafts, Origami..)
2023 Guadalupe Buddhist Church Annual Obon Festival (Live Taiko, Bon Odori, Teriyaki Chicken & Beff, Udon, Sushi, Bonsai Exhibit, Martial Arts..) Sun
2023 The Studio Where the Yellow Brick Road Once Wound through Munchkin Land.. - Sony Pictures Studios Tour
2023 Long Beach Buddhist Church (LBBC) Bon Odori Festival Event (Ondo Dancing, Live Taiko, Food..) Saturday
2023 Buddhist Church of Stockton Obon / Bazaar Festival Event (1 Day) Saturday
2023 Los Angeles Auto Show Event - LA Convention Center (Nov 17 - Nov 26) Toyota, Honda, Lexus, Acura, Nissan, Infiniti, Mazda, Tesla..
2023 Noguchi Museum Admission is Free (First Friday of Every Month) Advance Reservations Are Recommended
2023 - September 21: International Day of Peace (The Japanese Peace Bell - North of the Secretariat Building at United Nations Headquarters)
2023 - Annual Ekoji Buddhist Annual Summer Obon Festival Event (Bon Odori Dancing, Food, Live Taiko, Vendors, Games, Candlelight Service..) Saturday
2023 San Mateo Buddhist Temple Annual Bazaar Event (Traditional Japanese Foods, Live Taiko Performances, Crafts, Games..) (2 Days, Diff Hours)
2023 San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin Obon Bazaar-Festival (Live Taiko, Authentic Japanese Food, Entertainment & Bon Odori Dancing) JapanTown (2 Days)

Japanese Tea Garden - San Francisco (Inside Golden Gate Park)


Japanese Tea Garden - San Francisco (Inside Golden Gate Park) | Japanese-City.com
Location

Event Location

75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
USA

For Map Directions: Click Orange Icon
Map of Japanese Tea Garden - San Francisco (Inside Golden Gate Park), 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive

Today, the Japanese Tea Garden endures as one of the most popular attractions in San Francisco, featuring classic elements such as an arched drum bridge, pagodas, stone lanterns, stepping stone paths, native Japanese plants, serene koi ponds and a zen garden. Cherry blossom trees bloom throughout the garden in March and April.

Welcome to the Japanese Tea Garden, the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States located inside Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California.

The Japanese Tea Garden provides visitors from around the world with an opportunity to experience the natural beauty, tranquility and harmony of a Japanese-style garden in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.

Originally created as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition, the site originally spanned about one acre and showcased a Japanese style garden. When the fair closed, Japanese landscape architect Makoto Hagiwara and superintendent John McLaren reached a gentleman’s agreement, allowing Mr. Hagiwara to create and maintain a permanent Japanese style garden as a gift for posterity. He became caretaker of the property, pouring all of his personal wealth, passion, and creative talents into creating a garden of utmost perfection. Mr. Hagiwara expanded the garden to its current size of approximately 5 acres where he and his family lived for many years until 1942 when they, along with approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans, were forced to evacuate their homes and move into internment camps. When the war was over, the Hagiwara family was not allowed to return to their home at the tea garden and in subsequent years, many Hagiwara family treasures were removed and new additions were made.

Today, the Japanese Tea Garden endures as one of the most popular attractions in San Francisco, featuring classic elements such as an arched drum bridge, pagodas, stone lanterns, stepping stone paths, native Japanese plants, serene koi ponds and a zen garden. Cherry blossom trees bloom throughout the garden in March and April.

The Tea House 
Enjoy a meditative cup of tea and sample popular Japanese refreshments in the newly refurbished Tea House which has a custom-designed irori or farmhouse style family table. The Tea House is nestled in the center of The Japanese Tea Garden and overlooks the picturesque landscape and South-facing pond.

Tea House Menu Menu 
The Fortune Cookie StoryAccording to family members, Mr. Hagiwara introduced fortune cookies to the United States from Japan in the 1890’s or early 1900’s. Initially, the cookies were made on site by hand using a special iron mold or kata. When demand grew, Mr. Hagiwara hired San Francisco confectioner Benkyodo to produce the fortune cookies in large quantities. Original fortune cookies made in Japan were savory rather than sweet, and it is believed that Benkyodo developed a vanilla recipe for Mr. Hagiwara to make it more appealing to Western palates, the flavor that is now widely popular across the U.S. The tradition of serving fortune cookies to Tea Garden visitors continues today; one is tucked inside every bowl of Japanese rice crackers or arare sold at the Tea House.

The Gift Shop
Authentic Japanese items including tea and sake sets, glazed ceramic bowls and vases, kokeshi and daruma dolls, a variety of green teas,maneki neko figurines, and children’s collectibles are available for purchase in the Gift Shop located above the Tea House on the Terrace level.  Like the Tea House, the Gift Shop possesses distinctively Japanese style in its architecture and interior design.

Getting to the Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden is located in Golden Gate Park, near the corner of Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive and Martin Luther King Drive.

The Japanese Tea Garden is served by several public transit routes including 44-O’Shaughnessy bus that stops immediately at the Tea Garden, as well as the N-Judah streetcar, 5 and 7 buses. Muni information here.

Parking for cars and bicycles is located in the Music Concourse Garage. Access to Music Concourse Garage parking is from Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. (enter the park at 9th Ave and Lincoln Way, garage entrance will be third right) or from Fulton Street at 10th Avenue. Street parking is also available on Golden Gate Park streets including MLK Drive, Nancy Pelosi Drive, and Stow Lake Drive.

To learn more about access to the Japanese Tea Garden, more information and access to other sites in the Music Concourse area can be found here,

Shuttle
The free Golden Gate Park Shuttle offers access to the Japanese Tea Garden and the eastern half of Golden Gate Park with stops along JFK Drive, and at the Music Concourse steps away from the Tea Garden’s entrance. The shuttle operates 7/days per week:
Monday-Friday, 12 noon to 6pm
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays, 9 am to 6pm

Learn more about the shuttle and access to Golden Gate Park here.

   

Contact


Phone: (415) 752-1171

Location Website


Click to Visit

  (For Event Infomation See Event Website Page)
Japanese Festival Events At This Location

San Franciso Japantown Guide


San Francisco Japantown Guide: Best Restaurants & Attractions..

San Jose Japantown Guide


San Jose Japantown Guide: Best Restaurants & Attractions..

Authentic Japanese Gardens (United States)


Best Japanese Gardens in the United States

Japanese Rock 'Zen' Gardens (United States)


Best Japanese Rock 'Zen' Gardens in the United States

Japanese Teahouses (United States)


Best Japanese Teahouses in the United States