Japanese Tea Garden

The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park is a great place to spend a few hours, and ponder the elements of the Japanese garden. Nearby is the San Francisco Botanical Garden and the Conservancy of Flowers, so those with enough stamina could spend the whole day in beautiful gardens! The “Japanese Village” was originally one acre and created for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition. It was later developed into five acres by landscape architect Makoto Hagiwara. The Hagiwara family resided on the property and maintained the garden for many years, until they were interned in 1942 with many other Japanese Americans, and never allowed to return.

Teahouse and gift shop

The Japanese Teahouse and gift shop are near the entry (this clickable map of the grounds is useful). Tea is served along with light sandwiches, snacks, and sweets (reservations are recommended). I did not visit the teahouse, but hope to do so on another visit. I love this description of the Japanese tea ceremony in the DK Eyewitness Travel Guides: Japan (the ceremony is as much about slowing down and living in the moment, as it is about tea).

The Way of Tea. The tea ceremony is a well-orchestrated series of events. The ritual involves meeting your fellow guests, walking through the grounds of the teahouse, performing ablutions, entering a cell-like room, meeting your host, admiring the features of the room and tea utensils, watching the tea being prepared, bowing, and consuming the food and tea. Each part of the ritual is symbolic; ultimately it is your appreciation of the moment that counts (page 163).

Shady and meandering paths through the garden

Pagoda

Several paths twist and turn through the landscape, giving the garden a feeling of space, even on a busy day. I visited in summer, so missed the cherry blossoms, but the groves of trees in shades of green and reds were restful, and provided cool shade and relief from the hot afternoon sun. It is understandable that the Japanese Tea Garden was one of the sites used to film Memoirs of a Geisha.

Dry Zen garden in dappled shade

The garden includes many lovely features such as the sunken garden, the Zen garden, and the pagoda. The Zen garden was designed in 1953 by Japanese landscape architect Nagao Sukurai (who also designed the Japanese style gardens for the 1939-40 Golden Gate International Exposition). Dry landscapes (kare sansu in Japanese) originated in China, and gained popularity in Japan during the Muromachi period (1338-1573). The dry garden uses rocks and stone, and raked gravel to represent scenes from nature, and harmony between humankind and nature. (This is another alternative gardening style to consider for those of us in the dry Western United States).

The Drum Bridge is a popular photo opportunity

The garden also includes a series of ponds and bridges. The combination of water, plantings, and shade were welcome on the hot day I visited, and the koi, flowers, lanterns, and sculptures provide the characteristic elements of the Japanese garden. The Drum Bridge drew a large crowd, and was a popular photo op. I recommend the garden for anyone interested in Japanese gardens and hardscaping, or anyone with a few hours to spend in a setting of beauty, history, and human interest.

The main pond	Peaceful Koi
Iris planting	The sunken garden

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Learn More:

• DK Eyewitness Travel Guides: San Francisco & Northern California. Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc. (New York and London, 2002). Japanese Tea Garden, page 145.
• DK Eyewitness Travel Guides: Japan. Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc. (London, 1995). The Tea Ceremony, page 163.
• Japan A Short History. Supervised by John Gillespie. ICG Muse, Inc. (New York and Tokyo, 2001).
• A Traveller’s History of Japan. Richard Tames, line drawings by Scott Hall. Interlink Books (New York, 2002).