Japanese Friendship Garden

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Japanese Friendship Garden

Japanese Friendship Garden Museum in San Diego's historic Balboa Park dedicated to Japanese gardening and cultural education
(1726)

The mission of the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum (JFGM) is to develop a traditional Japanese garden as a center to educate, engage, and inspire people of diverse backgrounds about Japanese culture and community legacy.

03/03/2025

2025 Cherry Blossom Festival Food Guide🌸🥟🍙🍧 Swipe to see all the amazing vendors that will be at this years CBF on March 13th-16th. Get your tickets on line at www.niwa.org/cbftickets
sd

02/09/2025

A glimpse of the garden showcasing Bradford Pear (Pyrus Calleryana) blossoms. It’s the perfect day to explore JFGM’s stunning 12-acre garden, complete with waterfalls and koi ponds☀️🍃

01/30/2025

It’s almost time for SETSUBUN 👹🫘- Mark your calendars for FEB 2ND! Swipe to learn more about
the tradition of Setsubun. We’re inviting guests to make special oni masks, as well as participate
in the Mamemaki (bean tossing event). Meet the food and merchant vendors More info at
www.niwa.org/setsubun

01/13/2025

Explore the connections between craft and nature in“Beyond Urushi: Roots and Resin” exhibition before it closes! This exhibition highlights the allure and history of urushi, a natural lacquer used in various crafts for thousands of years in Japan.

Join us on Sunday, January 26th, for our closing reception where we will share screenings of short films and lectures that connect culture, craft, and nature!

01/10/2025

Fuki Urushi /Wiped Lacquer Experience: Applying lacquer to a wooden bowl and chopstick

January 24, 2024 13:00-14:30
Location: JFGM Education Center

People have been using "urushi," a natural tree sap, for over 10,000 years to coat wood for protection and as an adhesive. Urushi possesses chemical properties such as water resistance and antibacterial effects, making it an ideal natural lacquer for preserving and prolonging the life of objects.

Participants will use a fuki-urushi kit to apply a thin layer of lacquer to a wooden bowl and chopsticks. The lacquer included in the kit can also be used at home, allowing you to build up layers carefully for a deep and rich finish.

About Instructor:Takuya Tsutsumi /Tsutsumi Asakichi Urushi Inc
Founded in 1909, we specialize in the processing and production of Urushi at our refining company. We source raw Urushi sap and manage the entire process in-house, from refining the raw Urushi to producing it for coating, blending, and color matching. In addition to traditional methods passed down through generations, we have developed a new high-dispersion refining process, enabling us to meticulously provide Urushi tailored to the needs of cultural property restoration and traditional crafts.
https://www.niwa.org/exhibitions

01/07/2025

Authentic Urushi Kintsugi experience, drawing lines with lacquer and sprinkling gold powder　

Kintsugi goes beyond mere restoration; it embodies profound cultural and spiritual significance. It symbolizes the value of cherishing objects—not discarding them when broken, but repairing and continuing to use them. This philosophy aligns with sustainable living and the Japanese tradition of fostering long-lasting relationships with possessions.
In this workshop, participants will experience the final steps of the Kintsugi process: applying lacquer and sprinkling silver or gold powder to complete the repair.

About Instructor:Takuya Tsutsumi /Tsutsumi Asakichi Urushi Inc

Founded in 1909, we specialize in the processing and production of Urushi at our refining company. We source raw Urushi sap and manage the entire process in-house, from refining the raw Urushi to producing it for coating, blending, and color matching. In addition to traditional methods passed down through generations, we have developed a new high-dispersion refining process, enabling us to meticulously provide Urushi tailored to the needs of cultural property restoration and traditional crafts.

https://www.niwa.org/exhibitions

12/11/2024

Need a gift for the holiday season?
Visit JFGM’s gift shop to get the perfect present! 💝

From beautiful pottery sets to kawaii stocking stuffers straight from Japan, you’ll be sure you find something for your loved ones! Or give the gift of a year-round JFGM membership to your friends and family!

Remember, members get a 10% discount in our shop so put us on your shopping list! 🎁

11/26/2024

𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵
𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮, 𝘮𝘺𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥
𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴.

Come see the changes in our leaves & the flowers that blossom in Autumn! 🍂

11/12/2024

The Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum is home to many friends! 🍃🐈

Come visit us and be sure to keep an eye out, you might get to meet one of our permanent residents! 🐈‍⬛🌱

11/07/2024

Register for Seijinshiki on January 5, 2025! The coming of age ceremony (“Seijin-shiki”) is an important rite of passage for many young adults in Japan, just turning twenty. Students from all cultures and backgrounds are highly encouraged to participate in this event.

Kimono rental service is available upon request and participants are welcome to wear any other formal or cultural attire. The ceremony will include inspirational speeches, musical and cultural performances and light food and beverages.

Register at niwa.org

10/22/2024

JFGM’s newest exhibit, YOKAI, is opening to the general public this week on Friday (10/25) but JFGM Members can enjoy a members-only preview of the exhibit this Thursday (10/24) ! 👹

The exhibit explores Japanese supernatural creatures and the phenomena of folklore. Come learn about Yokai folktales and view how they’ve manifested in Japanese illustrations, art, and film!

10/11/2024

The Dream of Niwa wedding expo is not just an expo.. it’s an experience🤍 It’s official - we will have a fashion show at 4:30 PM on November 10th!

Watch show off wedding gowns, bridesmaid and mother of the bride dresses🤍

Cold Sparklers and a DJ, a live painter, and even a quintet performance as the Earth Bridge and koi pond are beautifully lit up after the sun sets. What a dream..

The itinerary will be posted soon; that’s not all of it!

List of vendors found at niwa.org/dream

The fashion show is free with admission, but you can meet more vendors and have food and drinks indoors for only $11 more from 3-6 PM. Tickets at NIWA.ORG/DREAM

Dream of the Garden🤍

09/16/2024

Sunny day at JFGM ☀️🦎
Purchase tickets and learn more at www.niwa.org.

09/10/2024

Register to JFGM’s upcoming Master Series workshops this October. Learn from master artisans from Japan. www.niwa.org/artisans

Black Pine Pruning Class
October 5, 2024
Manabu Katayama

Stone Tea Light Candle Holder
October 26, 2024
Taka Saida

09/03/2024

Otaku Smash Fest returns to JFGM on October 19, 2024! 🎶🎮🍶🪄🦹 Guests of all ages are invited to express themselves through the art of Japanese pop-culture! The agenda includes music, performances, a cosplay contest, food, vendors, prizes and so much more! VIP tickets are for sale at www.niwa.org. Don’t forget, cosplay is welcomed. Please see the event etiquette (www.niwa.org/otaku-etiquette).

01/08/2024

Kyoto Dining Experiences! 🥢 The Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum presents Master Series: Taste of Kyoto. We’re bringing Japan 🇯🇵 to San Diego through Kyoto cuisine and traditional crafts. Enjoy fine dining experiences with meals artfully designed and prepared by master chefs visiting from Kyoto, Japan. Attend a variety of workshops for the opportunity to work alongside skillful artisans with years of generational knowledge that have honed their craft. JAN 25-JAN 28

Spots are limited, so register to reserve your spot today!

#92101

12/21/2023

Experience the relationship between Kyoto’s food culture and traditional crafts through cha kaiseki (traditional Japanese multi-course dinner). Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy food from Chef Ozawa and Chef Kimura. Guests who register for January 26 & January 27 will be able to take home handmade Japanese items created just for this special event! ***Included: Ceramic bowl (soryu gama), lacquered wooden soup bowl (tsutsumiasakichi urushi shop), and kyo yuzen furoshiki (sachi manabe). Learn more and register at: www.niwa.org/artisans

12/19/2023

🌸VOTE for your favorite design ☑️ 🌸 Swipe to see submissions #1 through #5! Voting is open at www.niwa.org/cbcontest 🌸 Voting will close on January 7, 2024 at 3pm PST

‼️Please note, votes will only be counted through our website. Don’t miss out!‼️

Address

2215 Pan American Road E
San Diego, CA
92101

Website

http://www.niwa.org/

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Videos

Cherry Blossom Season is officially here at JFGM🌸✨ The 20th Anniversary Cherry Blossom Festival will take place March 13th-16th. Join us for an exciting lineup of special performances in the Inamori Pavilion. Come see new attractions, including a wall of lanterns and community art. Bring the whole family for a fun-filled day of including activities in our children’s area! Sample a variety of cultural food, or delicious beverages in the popular beer and sake garden, nestled in the lower garden. Don’t miss the chance to shop from our amazing local vendors in the upper garden, and then take a stroll through the cherry blossom grove. It’s the perfect way to celebrate spring!🌸😊 #cherryblossoms #spring #japanesefriendshipgarden #sandiego #california #balboapark #koifish #cherryblossomfestival #thingstodosandiego #jfgm #garden

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Our Story

The mission of the Japanese Friendship Garden Society of San Diego is to educate, engage, and inspire present and future generations of diverse backgrounds about Japanese culture and community legacy through exhibits, programs, and the preservation of a Japanese-style garden. La misión de la Sociedad del Jardín Japonés de la Amistad de San Diego es educar, convivir, e inspirar a personas de diversos antecedentes sobre la cultura Japonesa y su legado comunitario atraves de exhibiciones, programas, y la preservación del Jardín estilo Japonés.