Few People Know There’s A Peaceful Japanese Tea Garden Hiding Right Here In Texas
We could all use a little more peace and quiet in our lives, and getting it doesn’t always require expensive yoga classes or trips to remote locations. Tranquility is often hiding in plain sight, like right here at Brackenridge Park in San Antonio. This huge Japanese Tea Garden is one of the most calming places in Texas, and admission is totally free.
Before it became a garden in 1918, this space was a beautiful limestone rock quarry. Prison workers shaped it into a public complex featuring paved walkways, arched bridges, an island, and a Japanese pagoda.
In 1926, a local Japanese-American artist named Kimi Eizo Jingu was invited to come open a tea house known as the Bamboo Room. After a long series of events, including his family’s eviction during WWII, the garden underwent a major renovation and celebrated its grand reopening in 2008.
Front-and-center is a massive pagoda whose commanding aura turns heads. It's the park's main feature and, in true Japanese fashion, envelops the whole garden in a blanket of serenity.
From the pagoda, you'll enjoy 360-degree views of the garden. The surrounding landscape looks entirely different from an aerial perspective, so be on the lookout for things not visible from the ground.
A majestic, 60-foot waterfall is by far the main attraction. Stand underneath its gentle, yet powerful stream and allow your senses to be overcome by the soft roar. This is tranquility at its very finest.
Stop and admire hundreds of Koi fish swimming about in the pond. Their tails flick to and fro as they skate through the water, sending off little ripples that build into a far-reaching current sure to mesmerize all who witness it.
Named after the garden’s most influential family, this historic restaurant serves tea and light meals to power you through a full day of exploring.
Bento boxes are filled with sushi, cucumber salad, teriyaki beef, and tons of other traditional goodies. Everything is gluten free, and special options for kids are also available.
