Welcome back to National Parks and other public lands with T!

The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park began as part of the California Midwinter International Exposition in 1894. Today, it holds the distinction of being the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States.

After the World’s Fair ended, Makoto Hagiwara transformed the Japanese Village exhibit into a permanent Japanese Tea Garden. He imported many of the garden’s features directly from Japan and cared for the site until his death in 1925. His daughter later took over management of the garden. However, during World War II, the government forced her into an internment camp.

During World War II, officials renamed the garden the Oriental Tea Garden. Chinese servers replaced the Japanese staff at the tea house. At the same time, crews destroyed the Hagiwara family home and the Shinto Temple on the grounds. After Japan and the United States signed the peace treaty, the garden regained its original name, the Japanese Tea Garden.

After visiting the nearby California Academy of Sciences, we headed to the Tea Garden. We strolled through the beautiful landscaping before stopping for tea at the tea house.

Location: 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, California
Designation: National Register of Historic Places
Date designated/established: October 15, 2004
Date of my visit: August 14, 2012