Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park is the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States. It began life as a temporary exhibit at the 1894 World's Fair, built by Australian-born George Turner Marsh with Japanese craftsmen. When the fair closed, Marsh sold the concession to San Francisco for just $4,500, and a temporary attraction became a permanent treasure. Japanese immigrant Makoto Hagiwara was hired to transform the fair exhibit into something lasting. Over 30 years, from 1895 to 1925, he personally oversaw every modification, more than tripling the garden's size and importing plants, birds, and the now-famous koi fish directly from Japan. After the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the garden acquired the South Gate, Temple Gate, and Pagoda from that fair's Japanese exhibits, adding architectural landmarks that give the garden its distinctive character. The garden's darkest chapter came in 1942, when Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps. The Hagiwara family, who had devoted decades to nurturing the garden, lost their connection to the place they had built. After the war ended, the garden was only partially restored, and the family received minimal support. Today, the garden is a place of extraordinary beauty and peace. Stone paths wind past ponds, bridges, and carefully sculpted trees, creating a contemplative landscape in the middle of a busy city. A Questo quest through Golden Gate Park leads you through this garden with stories that add depth to every bridge and bloom.