It won’t be wrong if we call the San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden an example of the surreal beauty of nature. It is located near Brackenridge Park in San Antonio, Texas, United States, and is better known as a famous tourist place in Texas in today’s time. It provides the services of delightful food of Jingu house, hotels with beautiful, fascinating views of the garden, and a venue for variable events.
Its journey from a coarse quarry to a Tea garden with a dreamlike beauty is as fascinating as its scenic view. It also has its standard value as a Texas civil engineering landmark and historical significance. Therefore, it has become a place of importance.
1. San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden, A Historic Landmark
The place is a wonder in itself and consists of several exciting facts; these are some of the most exciting aspects of the San Antonio Japanese tea garden:
1.1 The Emergence of The Japanese Garden from A Donation
Having been an abandoned quarry for centuries, the land of the present San Antonio Japanese tea garden has a long history of being a source of readymade milestone rocks for the surrounding cities and being a cement quarry under Alamo Cement Company. It is a registered Texas historical landmark.
The history goes back to the donation of its land by the president of San Antonio Water Works Company, George Washington Brackenridge, who donated the land to San Antonio in 1899. The place was an abandoned rock quarry surrounded by several operating rock quarries.
It is the same land on which the idea of a Japanese Tea Garden was born in 1915 by the city parks commissioner Ray Lambert, who decided to convert the rock quarry into a water lily pond, which by the time turned into an exquisite San Antonio parks foundation.
1.2 The Jingu Family: First Inhabitants of The Japanese Gardens
In 1926, City Commissioner Ray Lambert invited Mr. Kimi Eizo Jingu, a local Japanese-American artist, for his assistance in designing and taking the experience of the place by inhabiting it. Using the rocks of the rock quarry, a house was built, and Jingu came to live in it with his family.
Along with his wife and 8 children, he opened a bamboo room where they provided the service of light lunches and tea beverages, and it turned out so successful that people started to get more tempered to visit the place just for the tea house. Jingu’s children and his wife persisted in the tea garden service even after Mr. Jingu’s death in 1938.
1.3 The Chinese Wo Family in The Place of The Jingu Family
In 1941, The Jingu Family was compelled to leave the city of San Antonio because of the spreading of hatred against the Japanese in the U.S. Because of increasing hostility against the Japanese, they had to seek refuge in Los Angeles.
In the place of the Jingu family, a Chinese-American family was brought up because of increasing agitation; Ted and Ester Wu were the members of the Chinese-American family who started their snack corner at that place.
1.4 The Change of Name from Japanese Tea Garden to Chinese Tea Garden
In the period of World War II, from 1939 to 1945, the whole world was under the shadow of nuclear terror.
After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor of U.S. an anti-Japanese sentiment spread in the U.S. Along with the Japanese Jingu family, the original name of the garden also got changed by thrashing down from Japanese tea garden to Chinese Tea Garden, as we can see inscribed on the wooden board at the entrance in the present time.
2. The Infrastructure of The San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden
Its infrastructure made it stand out as a fascinating beauty, as it is uniquely designed considering nature’s beauty. It is shaped by curbing the stones of the quarry itself, which adds to its scenic view.
Ray Lambert used prison labor to construct the garden at that time and made a lot of effort to transform it into an unimaginable beauty. It consists of several exotic plants and complex designs, which can be seen on its stone bridges and included walkways. It has a lush year-round garden with a 60ft waterfall, a Japanese Pavilion, and a tiny island, added with residents’ donated bulbs and ponds filled with Lilly.
3. The Restoration of the Garden
San Antonio city restored the garden when it was taken into consideration by the U.S. government. In March 2008, the opening ceremony took place, and the Present members of the Jingu family and the representative of the Japanese government attended the restoration ceremony at the city’s invitation, to this particular moment.
The Jingu house was restored in 2011 and given its name back. Now, the Jingu house has turned into a restaurant of the Tea garden. Its characteristics are repaired, which results in a revitalization of it.
4. The Beauty of the Japanese Tea Garden
Rich with the beauty of nature and decorated with extremely exquisite greenery and sculptural designs, it provides heaven with an experience for the tourist. The fascinating view of the floral display, the palmed roof pavilion, the Japanese trees, and the waterfall make one feel deep peace inside.
4.1 A Tempering Tourist Place
Being blessed with gorgeousness, it has become a famous tempering tourist place. People can taste the nectar of peace and nature’s beauty by visiting the place free of cost as it provides free entry to the Garden. It has such fascinating features that people come from around the world to visit and revisit the place.
4.2. The Facilities provided by The Japanese Tea Garden
The restored garden features better facilities for the tourists who visit the place to provide a better experience. Jingu House Cafe is used as a restaurant in Japanese Pagoda, where lunches, desserts, and beverages are served. The place is also wheelchair accessible. The place is also available for rent for events and ceremonies; it is considered apt for celebrating special moments because of its beauty.
It also provides several other entertainment programs, including a serene serenade of Japanese songs.
5. The Cost of visiting the San Antonio Japanese Tea Gardens and The Distance it takes to walk through
It is located in the middle of the Sunken Gardens theatre, Brackenridge Park, and several other beautiful places surround it. Entry for the public is free. It takes 45 minutes to walk through the spectacular stone arch bridges and walkways. Tourists can also explore its surroundings, which have many San Antonio buildings and tourist places, and enjoy a fuller holiday and rejuvenation experience.
6. Conclusion
San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden is full of wonders and affluent history. Because of its enhanced amenities and historical significance, it has become one of the most desirable locations for tourist attractions. If anyone is looking for a serene place packed with lots of fun and delicious food, then the San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden is perfect.
Last Updated on by Pragya Chakrapani
