Enjoy the beauty and tranquility of a Japanese garden in San Diego’s historical Balboa Park. Here, you will find aesthetically pleasing features such as a zen rock garden, koi pond, traditional Japanese art, water features as well as special events held throughout the year.
The Japanese Friendship Garden (JFG) is named San Kei En (three scene garden – water, pastoral, and mountain) which expresses the ties between the people of San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama. JFG blends the two cultures to create a unique and immersive experience that anyone will enjoy. JFG represents a new stage in the development of the Japanese garden outside of Japan. The design of the San-Kei-En is guided by the original principles of the Japanese garden (people, natural environment, and culture) while incorporating the local regional landscape and climate.
The life of JFG continues to blossom and is committed to upholding its mission of educating, engaging, and inspiring present and future generations of diverse backgrounds about Japanese culture and community legacy.
Current & Upcoming Exhibitions
San Kei En Photography
In 1957, the San Diego – Yokohama Sister City Society was established to promote cultural exchange, friendship, and world peace through better understanding. The Society has sponsored numerous successful exchanges throughout the years promoting the arts, business, and culture to name a few. The Japanese Friendship Garden (JFG) in Balboa Park and Yokohama’s Sankeien continue the celebration of the cities’ relationship by providing supplemental images for the other’s photo contest. Alongside images from Yokohama’s Sankeien, we want you to share your experiences at the Japanese Friendship Garden.
Sankeien translates to English as three scene garden and characterizes both Japanese gardens in Yokohama and San Diego with water, pastoral, and mountain features that offer inspiring sceneries and unique finds. Submitting artists were encouraged to pace themselves during their stroll in JFG, take note of aesthetics, and share their experiences in JFG through still images.
Visit Japanese Friendship Garden
Address:
2125 Park Blvd
San Diego, CA
92101
Phone:
(619) 232-2721
Hours:
Daily: 10 AM – 7 PM (last admission 6:00 PM)
Website:
2125 Park Boulevard, San Diego, CA
