Golden Gate Park | Japanese Tea Garden

📍Japanese Tea Garden 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118 Yesterday, when I was leaving the SF Botanical Garden, I saw an incredibly long line at the entrance of the Japanese Tea Garden, so I gave it up without hesitation. But I wasn't willing to let it go, so I came back to Golden Gate Park today. 😅 The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park was originally built as a "Japanese Village" for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition. After the exposition ended, the Japanese gardener Makoto Hagiwara poured his lifelong efforts into expanding it into the delicate Japanese - style garden it is today, making it one of the oldest Japanese - style gardens in the United States. Right now, during this season (mid - February), the azaleas are in full bloom. If it's a sunny day, the azaleas, the grassy background, and the red pagoda make for some really great photos. The whole garden is relatively small; you can finish exploring it in about half an hour. There's a Japanese tea house inside where you can order drinks and snacks and enjoy the view while eating. The iced matcha there is quite good—it's a bit sweet but has a strong matcha flavor. 💵Admission Fees: Just like the SF Botanical Garden, the Japanese Tea Garden offers free entry to SF residents or those in the Reciprocal Garden Program. For other visitors, it's 14onweekdaysand17 on weekends. You can park for free within Golden Gate Park or on Fulton St's street parking, or opt for paid parking at the Music Concourse Underground Garage. The Japanese Tea Garden gets quite crowded on weekends, so it's best to go early. By around 3 p.m. on weekends, the line to get in can get really long. 😓 💵Admission: Similar to the SF Botanical Garden, the Japanese Tea Garden offers free entry for SF residents or those in the Reciprocal Garden Program. For other visitors, it's 14onweekdaysand17 on weekends. You can park for free in Golden Gate Park or on Fulton St's street parking, or pay for parking at the Music Concourse Underground Garage. The garden can get quite crowded on weekends, so it's better to arrive early. By around 3 p.m., the line for entering the garden can be extremely long. I had an ice matcha (iced matcha here might be a playful way to say iced matcha tea, and the iced matcha at the Japanese Tea Garden's tea room is quite good. The iced matcha there is pretty tasty, a bit sweet but with a strong matcha flavor. 😋 #Where to Go on Weekends in the Bay Area #Bay Area Life #San Francisco