Japanese Friendship Garden — Attraction in San Jose

I was excited to bring my baby to celebrate her turning 10 months at a park I hear has amazing cherry blossoms. A park said to represent the friendship of the sister cities our San Jose and Okayama Japan. Well it seems the friendship needs a little attention. First of the ponds have no water except the one in the back with the coy and seemingly booty water. I love the look and peaceful decor throughout the park and house on site looks like a space for meditation or something. Highlight definitely was seeing a family of ducks and little chicks. So cute I have never seen this up close in real life and when I inched closer to get a photo the mom or dad looked at me with their eyes warning me of a parents dedication and protection and I let them be. Lowlight was that I pulled my daughter in a wagon and I would not say it is wheelchair friendly park because I dangerously had to pull her in her carriage up a hill. Thank god she was buckled in or she would have tumbled out. Parking lot on site and the pay station was broken so it was free. I did change the spot where I parked initially because there was a troublesome lady drinking a 40 in the parking lot so I moved close to a bus that was parked there and I figured he would see or deter any funny business. Overall a great day and experience and I will be back again in hopes of water in the ponds and to look at all the...

The pictures are not of the Koi in this park! Read on to understand why.

The park would look better with water I'm sure, but I didn't get to see it. Paid $10 for parking, only to realize there was nothing to see. A flood in 2017 destroyed most of the park and it is under renovation. Even the bridge was inaccessible. Come back in a few years.

The Koi pond in the northern corner was lively, but the water was so murky you cannot see the fish hardly. I love when the water is clear and the koi can shine all of their blissful colors. I don't think this park will ever attempt to make the water clear judging by the bed of the pool. It's unsightly, so the murky water hides it. Would probably cost a bit to paint it light blue, green, or black. Then add pebbles or natural aquatic plants to help clean / filter the water. The Best Koi pond I have seen goes to the Grand Hyatt in TampaFL. The water was clean and the fish were pristine.

If this park followed that design and added lights to the pond it would be an amazing day / night attraction. In its poor state, people still enjoy it, but it could be better. I'm sure if a design was drafted up showing what it could be, people would donate to the cause more.

I have included some pictures of the Koi at the Grand Hyatt. They are for example only and may not be used without permission for any purpose or distribution. They are...

This has turned into a staple of my visits to San Jose. I love the tranquil, serene, Japanese vibes that this Garden gives. The layout goes into each different sections with it's own magical feel. From the majestic redwoods, to the koi pond, to the cherry blossoms, to the bridge, each area provides a reflective quality and meditative opportunity. Great for taking pictures of flowers, plants and landscaping, the garden provides a memorable and relaxing experience. There is no fee other than the parking, but you can make a donation in the main building. And for the cost of parking, you can visit the little zoo and an old village recreation. So, it's definitely worth the price. The only reason I didn't give it a full five stars is that every time that I've gone, there has been no water, except for the koi pond. I'm not sure if it's due to drought restrictions, but I can imagine how much more spectacular it would be with water flowing through all the channels and filling the lakes. Still, it's a beautiful place to come and relax, with someone special or on your own. This Japanese friendship garden will always be a part of my San Jose itinerary. Come check it out and maybe make...