Japanese Friendship Garden

This is a very beautiful park. There are koi fish, bridges, rock steps. It isn’t really worth the parking price however. We parked somewhere else and walked over.

Best way to spend an afternoon, so peaceful and serene although in midst of the city! Must visit

We came to the friendship garden on a Saturday afternoon. It wasn’t too busy when we were there but we saved time and money by parking nearby on the streets (Alma and Senter). The inside of this garden is kept very neat however be careful walking around as there are cracks in the walkways. While we were there plenty of people were having professional pictures taking including a bride/​groom and a girl who was celebrating her Quinceañera.
While we walked around the whole thing in a short time period, it’ll be nice to revist and possibly have a picnic lunch in the near future here.
2016 Review #7

My secret little escape from the world. No matter what season it is this place is always beautiful

Beautiful, serene garden that provides a peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle of the bay area. I can’t believe this place exist in San Jose when I first found it when I lost my way due to a wrong address input into Google maps.
Come check it out. You will love it. :)

I’ve been to a lot of Japanese gardens in my day. In fact, I kind of seek them out. Maybe it’s the zen thing but I also like the manicured, planned, and subtle approach to horticulture that they exemplify. San Jose’s garden, which was was built in 1965 and occupies a 5.5 acre tract of Kelley Park, is a beautiful space that’s a great addition to this city. And while I did enjoy the garden and would encourage people to check it out, it’s not grandiose or amazing as some better examples from around the country. It’s also out of the way and would surely have benefited from being more connected to the San Jose itself. Still, it’s a pleasant detour that’s worthy of a little time, especially in a city as devoid of serenity as San Jose.

Ok. this review is based on my first and only visit of the Japanese Friendship Garden…
I LOVE IT! It reminds me of a VERY small version of the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo, Japan.
Very serene, clean, and picturesque.
No entrance fee and didn’t have to pay for parking since we walked here. Highly recommend for families and also photo shoots.

My first time here and I loved it. So many Koi fish in the ponds that you can feed — they have a couple of food stations where you can purchase a hand full of food for the ducks, geese & fish for 25 cents.
Beautiful trees and layout. Overall it’s a very beautiful place and feels very peaceful for being so close to the city of San Jose.
Parking was a little pricey, but next time I’m sure we can find some street parking. That doesn’t detract from the garden. A great place to go and just enjoy a little slice of nature and tranquility.

I had some time to kill today while in the area, so I looked up parks and trails. The Japanese Friendship Garden was the first thing that popped up, so off I went. Unfortunately, after I pulled up to a spot in the parking lot, once I got to the pay stall, I noticed that it is a whopping $ 10 for a day pass! They also make it a note that there is no hourly parking.
Being the cheapo Chinese dude that I am, I remembered there is a strip mall on Story Road about a block and a half away, so I ended up heading back in that direction, and walked to the garden instead. It takes about 20 minutes each way, but hey, I was there to get some exercise anyhow, so win-​win scenario.
The garden itself, which is free of charge, is a decent little spot for some serenity, but I wouldn’t call it anything spectacular. Perhaps they are conserving for the drought, since the water is rather low, and none of the fountains are running.
One thing you really need to watch out for is the overabundance of geese, and we all know what those darn little critters do. In addition, they are very aggressive, and will hiss or even lunge at you if you impose on their territory.
Overall, for the couple of hours I had at my disposal, it was indeed time well spent, but I certainly won’t be making any special trips down here any time soon.

Really nice park to walk around, very small. There’s a lot of geese walking the perimeter of the lake and a lot of ducks that always steal the koi fish’s food. Oh yes there’s a little coin machine where you can get fish food for a quarter to feed the koi fish. No wonder why these koi fishes are humongous!

The Japanese Friendship Garden is absolutely one of my favorite places to take my friends whenever the topic of a photoshoot pops up during conversation. It is a gorgeous place that features more beauty than just a temple, koi ponds, and a zig-​zag wooden bridge. It has everything you could ever want in a Japanese garden, and looks just like one of those botanical gardens you find straight out of New York. If you are ever looking to take pictures in a beautiful place, this is your spot. Also, parking is $ 10, but it is definitely worth every penny!

CSJ’s Japanese Friendship Garden (JFG) is a 5.5-acre, walled-​off section of Kelley Park (KP) that was built in 1965 as a symbol of «everlasting friendship» between San Jose and its Sister City of Okayama, Japan. Modeled after the Korakuen Garden in Okayama, the JFG is a popular photo destination for weddings, graduations and other celebrations because it is easily one of the most picturesque locations in SJ. The gardeners who work at the JFG aren’t your archetypical landscaper, as they have to go through years of training and certification in the Japanese-​style of gardening. The JFG doesn’t have many features (e.g., playgrounds, BBQs, picnic tables, etc) of your typical city park, but what it lacks in attributes it more than makes up for in quality.
–The Koi are back and look strong after the mysterious dying-​off in 2009 due to a herpes virus that killed all but 30 of the 265 fish. The saddest part of that was all the dead ones were most likely decendants of the original Koi donated to us by Okayama in the ‘60s. They suspect the disease was spread from «donated» fish that people dumped in the ponds. Unfortunately, they’re not stocking the feeding stations, and I’m not sure if they ever will again.
–Beautiful Japanese architecture, ponds, waterfalls, plants and bridges make this a photographer’s dream.
–The JFG is available for wedding ceremonies, and professional photo shoots. Please visit, or call, the Leininger Center (also located in Kelley Park) at 408−794−7275 for photo permit and rental info.
The JFG is a great spot to visit, and definitely the best place within the city limits to get your Zen on. So, relax, enjoy and just say, «Ommmmmm…»

It’s really beautiful here. I’m glad the Kois are back and growing… They’re not nearly as big as the old Kois that died off years ago or nearly as many but I’m glad they’re there. I used to attend so many wedding photoshoots at this garden as a child and this scenic pond surely produced some fabulous pictures.
It’s $ 10 to park and free to roam around here and Kelley park. Cannot picnic or go on the grass in the Japanese friendship garden but you can do that just outside where the park is, and head in after you’re done.

Beautiful and serene place and best of all it’s FREE! Located inside Kelley Park right next to Happy Hollow Park and Zoo. Perfect for a romantic stroll with your SO or wedding shoots etc. Loved it!

I came here to do a photoshoot for my almost-​4-​yo twin boys and we all had a great time. This place is a lot larger than it seems at first sight, particularly because there are a lot of small roads, a couple of hills here and there, and plenty of little ponds and streams running throughout. There’s the iconic red bridge that are in many Unilocal photos, but also other beautiful spots with magnificent trees, unique flora, and some koi fish. The water in the pond is pretty green and looks a little dirty, but other than that we had a great experience. I’m very excited to see the finished photos, and my boys had a ton of fun running around exploring the area.
Although there is no admission fee, parking can be kind of a nuisance. We parked in the Happy Hollow Zoo lot down the street and walked over into the park. There is a pretty tiny lot right next to the garden that might be more available in general, but it was far too small and full when I went on a Memorial day weekend. Both lots cost $ 10 to park. As I was with small children, it was still worth it because it might have been far more troublesome to find free street parking and then loop around looking for an entrance, however, there are options for that as well.

Like most reviews, this is a Japanese inspired garden that provides you with a much needed zen when everything else in the city seems to be closing in on you.
There’s Koi fishes in the pond with plank bridges and a wishing well. There is also a man made falls that are fenced around so no one dares to play on it (sad face). There are trees and a red bridge that are great for picturesque pictorials with family and/​or friends.
When we visited there were ducks/​mallards swimming on the pool. One duck even came out of the pond and started wobbling towards my daughter! Haha what a funny and smart duck!
Glad that San Jose takes good care of this place. I hope they give the same care to all of their other parks.

FREE! I would recommend parking somewhere down the street (free street parking) or else you’ll be paying $ 10 at the lot for parking.
My boyfriend and I came to take a stroll here after lunch on a Saturday and there were plenty of people having a picnic and just enjoying the scenery! Pretty neat little place and it probably takes about 10 – 15 minutes to walk around the whole garden. There’s running water leading to rivers and waterfalls and a large lake and a couple of little ponds as well. You can feed the koi and ducks/​geese in the garden too!
I’m sure it’s very pretty here when the flowers are in bloom! There’s also a tea house that’s closed to the public, but you can peek in. I believe it’s rented out for events, etc.

I love Japanese gardens. The style is just so… pretty and calming. I was looking for a location to do a photoshoot with some friends, and we decided to come here! It was a great sunny day, and the colors in this garden are gorgeous! The bright red bridge combined with the light but intense green-​leaved trees next to it was amazing. There were just so many colors and variety in this garden. It was pretty big too; it had three lakes, a waterfall, and areas to walk around. The only downside is we couldn’t go on the grass. There were fish in the lakes too! Overall a very pretty place. We saw some couples getting professional shots too. Too pretty of a place! Best of all it’s free! The parking is $ 10, but Alma Street is very easy to park on; there were a lot of parking spots and it’s a 5 minute walk to the entrance of the friendship garden. Definitely worth a visit!

My first review for 2015!
I am thrilled and excited to say that the Japanese garden… is free!
5 stars for that alone.
It’s a nice little place to take your date or S/​O for a walk as well as to enjoy the scenery.

What a beautiful little Japanese garden!
Just a note that if you going to Happy Hollow zoo you should take advantage of walking to the Japanese friendship garden. Otherwise, you can park in the lot provided for the garden. It costs 6 $ for parking (people have been saying it’s 10 $ though), and it lasts all the way until sun down.
Once you peek through the doorway you can already see the beautiful scenery unfold. This is a great photo spot area for couples, families, tourists and all! The water in the ponds is actually very green with lots of algae. It would probably look a lot better if the water was clear but there are a ton of geese and koi fish so it makes sense that the water is pretty dirty.
The geese are usually on the grassy area to your right and they are not afraid of humans. You can get extra close to one. They also poop all over the sidewalk so watch where you’re stepping.
There is a red bridge that is the most perfect spot for pictures. I absolutely love how it captures the background and scenery! If you continue along the path going counterclockwise you will reach the koi feeding station. If you want to feed koi fish, bring a quarter. These fish are so adorable when they run for food!
There are lots of gorgeous and well kept trees and plants, along with more ponds of water, streams and a mini waterfall. We were lucky enough to see a small little turtle plop right into the water!
There is also a Japanese style building that you can peek inside. I don’t think you can go inside but it is creative. And to the right of that building is a donation well where you can place your coins. All donations go directly to the garden.
Although the garden is small and can easily be looked through within an hour, it’s a great photo shoot spot and a lovely stroll to go on.
I took a star down because of the unmaintained sidewalks and the workers who were mowing the lawn in the afternoon. It took away from the ambiance a bit.