The Splendid Beauty of San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden

South Gate, large traditional Japanese garden gateway, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaPlants reflected in pond with water lilies, topiary, cloud pruning, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaCamellia flower, red white and pink flower, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California

Celebrate today’s summer solstice with photos from San Francisco’s exquisite Japanese Tea Garden. It’s the oldest public Japanese garden in the country, and one of many wonders of Golden Gate Park. Dave and I went there recently after we were fully vaccinated. We hadn’t been in years, and we really enjoyed visiting again. It features lots of greenery, lanterns, pagodas, winding paths, ponds, a Zen garden, and a tea house. There are numerous Japanese native plants, but I didn’t spot any orchids.

Drum Bridge with children, semicircular wooden bridge, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaLarge koi goldfish in pond with child's hand pointing at it, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaTall stone lantern in foreground with colorful plants, pond, large stones, and waterfall in background, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California

Coast Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, close up of new green leaves, conifer, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaBronze Buddha statue, cast in 1790 in Tajima Japan, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaBamboo, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California

Wandering through the garden, there’s so much to discover. The elegant design provides alluring sights around every curve. Exquisitely maintained plants are each a work of art, with beauty in both their large forms and their small details. Somehow the old, large koi don’t get eaten by the park’s many raccoons or herons. The Drum Bridge, with its semi-circular arch, is fun to climb for kids and adults alike. Immersed in the garden’s charms, visitors may forget that the busy city is nearby.

Hydrangea flowers and leaves, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaDrum Bridge viewed behind tree, semicircular wooden bridge, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaTop of Temple Gate, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California

Stone path between trees bushes and grasses in dappled shade, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaIris flower, partially open flower, purple yellow and white flower, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaOriginal fortune cookie presses on display inside the gift shop, circa 1914, Makoto Hagiwara inventor of modern version of fortune cookie, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California

There’s plenty of fascinating history to the Japanese Tea Garden. It began in 1894 as an exhibit in an international fair. Afterwards, it was made permanent and expanded to about 5 acres (2 hectares.) Landscape architect Makoto Hagiwara and his family were its caretakers for decades, and they lived on the grounds. Sadly, they lost their home and were interned with other Japanese Americans during World War II. Fortunately, their beloved garden continues to thrive, and is one of the park’s most popular attractions. Besides the garden, Mr. Hagiwara is famous as one of the inventors of the modern fortune cookie. The first fortune cookie presses are on display inside the gift shop (shown in the final photo.)

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