Japanese Friendship Garden, San Jose

The Japanese Friendship Garden is a walled six-acre garden inside Kelley Park, about 20 miles southeast of Palo Alto. It was dedicated in October 1965 as a symbol of friendship between San Jose and its sister city of Okayama, Japan and it was patterned after Okayama's Korakuen, one of the three great landscape gardens of Japan. Three koi ponds step down the slope, joined by small waterfalls and a stream that runs the length of the garden. Paths loop around the water past a pagoda, small bridges and a tea house.

It costs nothing to enter and rarely feels crowded on a weekday, which makes it an easy add-on to a family day at Happy Hollow or History Park next door. This guide covers the garden's history, what to look for, hours and parking as the City of San Jose listed them on November 1, 2026, how to get there, accessibility and nearby food. For the rest of the city, see our San Jose day trip.

A garden from Okayama

The city describes the garden as "a symbol of everlasting friendship" between the two and says it was modeled on Korakuen, the stroll garden built for Okayama's feudal lords around 1700. The garden was dedicated in October 1965. In 1966 Okayama sent koi to stock the three main ponds.

The garden has had hard years since. A fish virus in 2009 killed about 90 percent of the koi, according to Wikipedia. In 2017 Coyote Creek, which winds through Kelley Park, overflowed and submerged the lower pond and most of the tea house. The flood damaged the pumps that keep water moving between the ponds and the tea house and restrooms closed for repairs. The tea house has since been repaired, though some flood work took years to finish. Koi still fill the ponds today and the bridges are the best places to look for them.

The garden sits within a long history of Japanese American life in the Santa Clara Valley. San Jose's Japantown, a few miles north, is one of three historic Japantowns left in the United States. Our page on Palo Alto's Japanese American community tells the Peninsula side of that story, including the wartime incarceration.

What to see

A loop around all three ponds takes about 30 to 45 minutes at a slow pace. Look for:

• The upper pond. The largest and most photographed, with the main koi and a waterfall feeding the stream below.
• Bridges. Several small Japanese-style bridges cross the stream. They give the best views down into the water.
• The pagoda. A stone pagoda stands among the plantings above the water.
• The tea house. Beside the lower pond. It was flooded in 2017 and later repaired. Do not expect to go inside on a casual visit.
• Seasonal color. Cherry trees bloom near the lower pond in early spring. Late fall brings changing leaves to the deciduous trees around the ponds.

The garden is also a popular wedding site. The city rents it for ceremonies of up to 300 guests, so on weekend mornings and afternoons you may find part of the lawn reserved.

Hours, admission and parking

Entry is free and no reservation is needed. The city's facility page lists seasonal hours, all starting at 10 a.m.:

Daylight saving time ended on November 1, 2026, so winter hours run until March 14, 2027. Arrive by early afternoon in winter to have the light on the ponds.

Parking is the only cost. The city charges a fee in its regional park lots, which include Kelley Park. The posted rates are $6 a day for a regular pass, $2 for seniors 60 and over, disabled visitors with DMV paperwork and eligible veterans and $10 on six summer and spring holidays such as Memorial Day and Independence Day. Machines take exact cash and Visa, MasterCard or Discover. An $80 annual pass covers Kelley Park and other city regional parks. Lots fill on warm weekends because Happy Hollow shares them. Happy Hollow's own page lists $10 a day for its lot, so the rate may differ depending on which lot you use. Our Happy Hollow guide has its parking details.

Getting there from Palo Alto

By car

The drive takes about 30 minutes outside rush hour. Take Highway 101 south past downtown San Jose to the Story Road exit. Head west on Story Road and turn left on Senter Road, which runs along the park's southwest side. Follow signs into Kelley Park and park in the lot nearest the garden. Visitors flying into San Jose who want to see several South Bay parks in a day can compare rental car prices, since most of these places are a short drive apart but awkward by transit.

By Caltrain and bus

Take Caltrain to San Jose Diridon. Kelley Park is about three miles southeast. A rideshare takes about ten minutes. VTA has served Senter Road with a bus stop near Phelan Avenue, at the south end of the park. Use VTA's trip planner for current routes and see our VTA guide for fares.

Accessibility

The city does not publish a detailed accessibility guide for the garden. The ponds sit at different heights on a slope, so expect grades between them and short rises at the bridges. Wheelchair and stroller users should be able to see the ponds from the main path, but some side paths may be narrow or uneven. Restrooms closed for repairs after the 2017 flood, so check with park operations and ranger staff at 408-277-5254 before you count on them, or use the facilities elsewhere in Kelley Park.

Tips for a good visit

• Come on a weekday. The garden is calm and you avoid wedding parties and full lots.
• Bring exact change or a card. Parking machines give no change.
• Visit in late fall or early spring. Maple color and cherry blossoms are the peak moments.
• Ask before bringing a dog. The city's rules section for the garden was empty when we checked, so read the signs at the gate.
• Watch small children near the water. The ponds are open and the stream runs right beside the paths.

Food nearby and pairing it with other stops

Kelley Park has picnic lawns and tables, so bringing lunch is easy. For a meal, Story Road and Tully Road east of Highway 101 form the center of San Jose's large Vietnamese community, with pho shops, banh mi bakeries and dessert cafes in strip malls a few minutes away. Our Vietnamese food guide covers the Palo Alto options. Japantown, about ten minutes north, adds Japanese sweets, ramen and sushi.

Kelley Park makes a full day on its own. Happy Hollow Park and Zoo is next door for younger children. History Park sits at the south end of the park with trolley rides on weekends. Disc golfers can play the 18-hole Kelley Park course in the old walnut orchard, described in our disc golf guide.

Garden lovers can compare this garden with two others within an hour of Palo Alto: Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, which charges admission and is older and the free Japanese Garden in San Mateo's Central Park. For a guided look at the city, you can browse San Jose tours.

Frequently asked questions