S.F. Bay Area
San Francisco Attractions
Japanese Tea Garden
@ Golden Gate Park

Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden is located next to the de Young Museum and across from the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.

Built for the Japanese Village exhibit in the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition, the garden is the oldest public Japanese garden in the nation. It is visited by over 400,000 people every year.

The Japanese Tea Garden features beautiful Pagodas, Lily Ponds, The Hagiwara Gate (built with no nails), the Lantern of Peace (a gift from the Japanese government in 1953) Drum Bridge, a Zen Garden and lush landscaping, including beautiful cherry trees, azaleas, Oriental magnolias, camelias, Japanese maples, dwarf pines, cedars and cypresses.

Each setting offers a stunning backdrop for photographs — infact, several of the movie scenes from "Memoirs of a Geisha" were filmed at the Japanese Tea Garden.

Japanese Tea Room
Take a break during your visit and relax in the Japanese Tea Garden's open Tea Room. Enjoy a cup of Green Tea and Cookies while admiring the garden views.

Fortune Cookie & Tea Garden Trivia
Bet you thought that China was the birthplace of the Fortune Cookie — it was actually invented in San Francisco.

Makoto Hagiwara — manager of Golden Gate Park's Japanese Tea Garden — created the Fortune Cookie in 1909 and served them to guests of the Tea Garden. And the rest...as they say...is history!

Japanese Tea Garden Hours
Open daily

Winter Hours
Nov-Feb 9am-4:45pm

Summer Hours
Mar-Oct 9am-6pm

Admission
Admission Fee is required

Free Admission on Mon, Wed, Fri
9-10am

Gift Store
The gardens also feature a small gift store where you can shop for souvenirs and fun gifts.

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