Every spring we eagerly await the return of the brilliant cherry blossoms, and they are indeed starting to bloom now at San Francisco’s famous Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. Be sure to visit soon and catch these beautiful flowers from late March through early April.
On March 10th, 2025, the Japanese Tea Garden shared an update on Instagram that the cherry blossoms and plum blossoms are starting to bloom, so we can expect peak season to come up very soon. You’ll also likely see the bright fuschia azaleas blooming throughout the grounds.
Look for the cherry trees at the garden entrance, in front of the tea house, near the bridge, and around the ponds. The season is fleeting, so it’s worth looking for tagged pictures of the garden on social media for an up-to-date idea of how prevalent the blooms are.
The famous garden is one of Golden Gate Park’s most iconic destinations, and for good reason. The tea house, or ochaya, dates back to 1894, making it the oldest ochaya in the United States. Take a stroll through the pagodas, stepping stone paths, native Japanese plants, and more.
The Japanese Tea Garden was originally created in 1894 as a “Japanese Village” exhibit for the California Midwinter International Exposition. Japanese landscape architect Makoto Hagiwara and Golden Gate Park superintendent John McLaren arranged for the garden to remain permanently, and Hagiwara maintained the space until 1942.
At that point, Hagiwara and about 120,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly evacuated to internment camps during World War II. The Hagiwara family was not allowed to return after the war ended. Many of their treasures were removed and new additions were made to the garden in subsequent years.
You can read our article about the Japanese Tea Garden to learn more about its history.
2025 Japanese Tea Garden cherry blossoms
🌸 Peak bloom: Cherry blossoms will hit peak bloom from late March to early April 2025
🎟️ Tickets: Admission to the Japanese Tea Garden is free for San Francisco residents with ID or equivalent. For non-residents, it costs $21.75 for adults, $10.75 for seniors and youth ages 12-17, and $6.75 for children ages 5-11.
🕜 Hours: The garden is open from 9-5:30pm 7 days a week, with a free hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9-10am
📍 Location: 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA
🌐 Website: Japanese Tea Garden