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The Japanese Tea Garden, nestled within the Gardens of Golden Gate Park, is the oldest operating public Japanese Garden in North America, renowned for its natural beauty and tranquility.

Following the exposition, Makoto Hagiwara, a businessman, became the garden's caretaker and expanded it in 1895, adding new ponds and pathways. His family managed the garden for decades, even building a home within it in 1910. However, during World War II in 1942, the Hagiwara family was forced into incarceration camps, and the garden's name was changed and structures removed.

Its origins trace back to the 1893 California Midwinter International Exposition, where it was initially created as "The Japanese Village and Tea Garden."

The name "Japanese Tea Garden" was legally restored in 1953. Over the years, the garden has seen numerous additions and renovations, including the installation of a Buddha statue (1949), a Lantern of Peace (1953), and new Main Entrance and Temple Gates (1985) as a joint effort with sister city Osaka.

In 1986, the street in front was renamed "Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive" to honor the family. The Tea House and Gift Shop were remodeled and renamed "Jack Hirose" tea house in 2011, and a 107-year-old pagoda was restored in 2022.

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