- All-Inclusive PlusAll-Inclusive
- Family-friendly
- Outdoors
Up to an hour
Japanese Friendship Garden
Up to an hour
Head to the Japanese Friendship Garden San Diego in Balboa Park.
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What visitors are saying
4.6Lovely, calm and peaceful place to walk and relax.
Dec 10, 2025Loved walking through this beautiful park.
Oct 31, 2025- Explore San Diego with Go City®Your San Diego pass includes dozens of other top attractions, all for one money-saving price
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What you'll do
Stroll around this peaceful garden in San Diego’s Balboa Park – the nation’s largest urban cultural park.
The zen design of the Japanese Friendship Garden boasts traditional water and stone elements, two koi ponds, a bonsai collection, and unique attractions such as a cast bronze kannon bosatsu statue from 1735 AD. You'll enjoy the relaxing ambiance of the garden which fuses Japanese aesthetics with southern Californian characteristics.
The garden was created as a gesture of friendship between the US and Japan and combines water, pastoral and mountain scenes, also known as 'San-Kei-En' - a three-tiered experience. As you explore, you'll learn about all the little landscaped details and what they represent in Japanese culture.
Each calming element will bring a sense of peace and tranquility to your San Diego trip, so don't miss the chance to take some time out and enjoy this cultural sanctuary.
What's included
Explore the zen garden in Balboa Park.
Access the koi ponds, stepping stones, and landscaped features.
Explore this attraction and 43 more, all for one low price
View all attractionsWhere you'll be
2215 Pan American Road, Balboa Park, San Diego, USStandard opening hours
Closings & holidays
May be closed major U.S. holidays.
March 13 - 16: passholders will NOT be able to use a pass to visit the garden due to the Japanese Friendship Garden’s 2025 Cherry Blossom Festival – tickets for this can be bought separately on their website.
Find out more
For more information, visit the Japanese Friendship Garden website.
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