Japanese Tea Garden

The Japanese Tea Garden is a five-acre landscape within Golden Gate Park featuring stone lanterns, pagodas, koi ponds, and arched bridges arranged along winding paths. Plantings are carefully tended to create different garden rooms and focal points.

The garden began as part of the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition. Makoto Hagiwara transformed it from a temporary exhibition into a permanent installation that has survived to this day.

The tea house serves matcha and Japanese sweets in a setting where the preparation itself becomes part of the experience. You can watch how this ritual unfolds throughout your visit.

The garden is open daily to visitors and is best explored in the morning when crowds are lighter. Well-marked paths guide you through all areas, making navigation straightforward.

The Dry Landscape Garden designed by Nagao Sakurai in 1953 uses only stones and gravel to suggest natural elements like mountains and water. This approach shows how restraint in materials can create powerful visual effects.

Location: San Francisco

Inception: 1894

Fee: Yes

Operator: San Francisco Recreation & Park Department

Address: Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive

Phone: +14157524227

Website: https://sfcityguides.org/mobile.php

GPS coordinates: 37.77010,-122.47000

Latest update: December 22, 2025 20:41