Last week, I took a day off to visit the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco for the first time in years. I used to visit this lovely park a few times a year, especially around cherry blossom season, but I’ve been staying home mostly since 2020 to avoid risking my health.
But I’m feeling more confident these days, so I was happy to finally see the garden again! I visited on Wednesday afternoon, when there weren’t as many guests. It was a bright, sunny day for San Francisco (and I didn’t put on enough sunscreen, because I discovered sunburns when I got home). Here are some photographs from my trip.
This beautiful waterfall greets you right as you come into the tea garden.
There were many birds and other wildlife enjoying the spring sunshine. I caught this little squirrel drinking from a tiny rock pool.
The large pagoda is currently covered because it’s undergoing renovation. But this smaller red arch was still visible.
I love all the stone lanterns around the garden. This one sits next to a miniature maple tree next to the koi pond. (Many of the trees are trained to be small.)
It took me a while to find the koi fish. They were hiding in the shadows to avoid the hot midday sun.
These water lilies were still closed up.
These purple irises were sheltered in the shade so their blooms were still bright and lively. In my neighborhood, all the irises bloomed and wilted over a month ago. But San Francisco has a cooler climate on the coast than where I live inland.
I like to end my visit at the moon bridge over the little creek. And I posed for a picture on top.
I hope you enjoyed the pictures from my visit! If you’re ever in San Francisco, I highly recommend visiting the Japanese tea gardens in Golden Gate Park. Or there may be a tea garden near where you live!