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Japanese Tea Garden

Photo Credit: SFCVB

Originally developed as part of the Japanese Village exhibit for the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894, Golden Gate Park's Japanese Tea Garden is the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States. In 1895, Makato Hagiwara, a wealthy Japanese landscape designer, suggested converting the Exposition's temporary exhibit into a permanent section of the park. Hagiwara expanded the original one-acre exhibit to five acres and added a teahouse, pavilions, plants, statues, goldfish, and rare Japanese birds.

The Hagiwara family maintained the Japanese Tea Garden, living in a small private area of the garden, from 1895 until the beginning of World War II, when they were forced to relocate to a detention camp with other Japanese-Americans. The Japanese Tea Garden was renamed the "Oriental Tea Garden" and much of the original garden was destroyed or fell into disrepair. In 1952 the name "Japanese Tea Garden" was officially reinstated. The next year a 9000-pound "Lantern of Peace," purchased with contributions from the children of Japan, was presented as a symbol of friendship toward future generations and was installed in the garden.

Although parts of the original Japanese Tea Garden are gone, there is still plenty to see, including the teahouse, one of the original structures of the 1894 Exposition. Visit the Zen garden or the Buddhist pagoda, and take a walk across the Drum Bridge, another of the original structures. If you visit in late March or April you'll see the many cherry trees and azaleas in bloom.

Location
Located in Golden Gate Park, the Japanese Tea Garden is on Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive near 10th Avenue.

Hours of operation
The Japanese Tea Garden is open daily from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. The teahouse is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Hours are extended until 6 p.m. in the summer.

Costs
Admission is $3.50 for adults, $1.25 for children and seniors. Tea service, which offers a selection of teas and soft drinks, is $2.95 per person. All drinks are served with complimentary cookies and rice crackers.

Contact information
For more information, call (415) 752-4227.

Disabled access
The west gate of the Tea Garden has a wheelchair exit.

Special considerations
Restrooms are located near the gate.

Please note
Cost, hours of operation, or other information about this attraction is subject to change without notice. We suggest you confirm with the attraction prior to your visit.