The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park was originally built as a temporary exhibit for the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. But the public loved it so much that it became a permanent fixture of the park. It boasts a tasty claim to fame in the origins of the fortune cookie.
Additional Reading:

The Japanese Tea Garden: A Beloved S.F. Landmark With A Troubling Past

Unwrapping the California Origins of the Fortune Cookie

Join us for a walking tour of the Japanese Tea Garden with Sango Tajima

Take our DIY "Very Curious Golden Gate Park Walking Tour"


Reported by Olivia Allen-Price and Suzie Racho. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jessica Placzek, Amanda Font, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.