Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum

Raw space venue

The venue will provide just the space. You’ll bring in your own caterer and vendors.

Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing

Starting at $12,000

Packages

Prices start at $4,000

Guest capacity

Up to 250 seated guests

About this venue

From outdoor ceremonies surrounded my manicured, lush trees and florals, to elegant evening receptions, the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum is an unforgettable venue. A hidden gem in the heart of San Diego's historic Balboa Park, the garden is a truly unique and ethereal venue. The garden features authentic Japanese architecture, multiple koi ponds and waterfalls, bonsai, cherry blossom trees and wisteria arbors. For full-scale weddings, 'mix and match' your ceremony, cocktail hour and reception locations; every wedding is unique. The Lower Garden provides both indoor or outdoor spaces for dancing and dining. Our daytime Minimony package is perfect for couples looking to hold a small ceremony at the garden and have the benefit of all the garden's photo op spots, with a reception elsewhere.

Seated guest capacity

  • 1-250

Venue type

  • Ballrooms, Banquet Halls
  • Parks, Gardens

Venue setting

  • Covered Outdoor
  • Indoor
  • Outdoor
2215 Pan American Rd E, San Diego, CA 92101

Our event spaces

Lower Garden Courtyard

An open-air haven where natural beauty frames every vow

This area, located right outside the Inamori Pavilion, is a great spot for outdoor events. The Pavilion Courtyard also serves as the main site for ceremonies. Ceremony: 250 / Seated Reception: 160

Guest capacity

Up to 250 Seated

Up to 250 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Engagement party, After party, Other

Guests often feel this space is

“Warm and Cozy”

Included in this room:

-Dressing room / Bridal Suite -Event staff -Pet friendly -Wheelchair accessible

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Inamori Pavilion (Waterfall Side)

Beautiful authentic Japanese architecture; the room is open-air and has a flow with the Lower Garden Koi Deck and a view of a waterfall and koi pond.

The Inamori Pavilion is an indoor space with an outdoor feel, perfect for receptions. The location could also work great for a ceremony as well. Area includes a deck for guests to walk around, enjoying the gorgeous scenery and waterfall. Seated Reception: 200 (+30 if no dance floor) (+50 if Ceremony off-site) Cocktail Reception: 300 Ceremony: 250 (Room can be divided in half for small events)

Guest capacity

Up to 140 Seated

Up to 250 Standing

Guests often feel this space is

“Luxurious and Chic”

Included in this room:

-Dressing room / Bridal Suite -Event staff -Pet friendly -Transportation -Wheelchair accessible -Wifi

Room cost

$1,000 flat-rate add-on

Inamori Pavilion (Courtyard Side)

Outdoor dining or dancing in San Diego

Beautiful authentic Japanese architecture; the room is open-air and has a flow with the Lower Garden Courtyard. Perfect for larger receptions, with half inside/half outside dining and dancing

Guest capacity

1-140 Seated

Up to 250 Standing

Room cost

$1,000 flat-rate add-on

Lower Garden Koi Deck

A tranquil perch for intimate moments and sweeping views

The Inamori Pavilion's Koi Deck is an ideal place for a covered ceremony that still has an outdoor feel, or cocktail hour. Guests can enjoy the gorgeous scenery and waterfall.

Guest capacity

1-100 Seated

1-150 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Other, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Warm and cozy”

Included in this room:

-Dressing room / Bridal Suite -Event staff -Pet friendly -Wheelchair accessible

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Upper Garden Fujidana Plaza

Celebrate in harmony with nature under the open sky

Our open air reception plaza is the perfect spot for a larger reception under the stars. The area includes a deck overlooking the plaza that can be used as an entertainment stage. Spring events can enjoy wisteria blossoms on the wooden fujidana (arbor).

Guest capacity

Up to 250 Seated

Up to 300 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Engagement party, Other

Guests often feel this space is

“Luxurious and Chic”

Included in this room:

-Dressing room -Event staff -Pet friendly -Wheelchair accessible

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Upper Garden Koi Deck

A serene waterside escape made for quiet reflections and stunning portraits

Nestled beneath the fujidana (wisteria arbor) and surrounded by the serene sounds of the waterfall, the koi pond is a beautiful spot for wedding ceremonies and cocktail receptions. Ceremony: 60 / Cocktail Reception: 80

Guest capacity

Up to 60 Seated

Up to 80 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Engagement party, Other

Guests often feel this space is

“Warm and Cozy”

Included in this room:

-Event staff -Pet friendly -Wheelchair accessible

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Upper Garden Ceremonial Gates

Begin your journey through a timeless symbol of beauty and grace

The majestic backdrop of the Charles C. Dail Memorial Gate is the perfect location for small ceremonies and cocktail hours, or as the dancing area for large receptions. The Ceremonial Gate is a magnificent location surrounded by trees with a view of the towering Corinthian columns of the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. Ceremony: 80 / 200+ as a dancing area.

Guest capacity

Up to 70 Seated

Up to 200 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Engagement party, Other

Guests often feel this space is

“Fun and Festive”

Included in this room:

-Event staff -Pet friendly -Wheelchair accessible

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Earth Bridge & Garden Paths

The garden is art; a photographer's playground.

Wander through living poetry—perfect for romantic first looks, ceremonies, cocktail hour or private proposals. Our Lower Garden includes beautiful pathways where guests can stroll during cocktail hour, exploring a variety of plants and flowers along side a charming stream. The Earth Bridge can serve as an intimate ceremony spot or the perfect place for photos after the ceremony. Bars out in the garden entice guests to explore areas such as the Kannon Bosatsu statue and the new Azumaya gazebo.

Guest capacity

1-120 Seated

1-200 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Engagement party, After party, Other, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Warm and Cozy”

Included in this room:

-Dressing room / Bridal Suite -Event staff -Pet friendly -Wheelchair accessible

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Lower Garden Courtyard

An open-air haven where natural beauty frames every vow

This area, located right outside the Inamori Pavilion, is a great spot for outdoor events. The Pavilion Courtyard also serves as the main site for ceremonies. Ceremony: 250 / Seated Reception: 160

Guest capacity

Up to 250 Seated

Up to 250 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Engagement party, After party, Other

Guests often feel this space is

“Warm and Cozy”

Included in this room:

-Dressing room / Bridal Suite -Event staff -Pet friendly -Wheelchair accessible

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum packages

Minimony Package

3-40 guests

Peak pricing $5,000-6,000

Off-peak pricing $4,000-5,000

Description

Our ceremony-only package offers an intimate 2-hour event (including setup and breakdown) for up to 40 guests, with both daytime and evening options available. At minimum, a day-of coordinator is required to ensure everything runs smoothly. Monday-Thursday Minimonies are available throughout the day, while Friday-Sundays have a latest ceremony start time of 1:00 PM. The Earth Bridge is not available for Minimonies Friday-Sunday, unless it is before we open to the public.

What’s included
  • Up to 40 chairs
  • PA system, mic and mic stand
  • Bridal Suite $100/hr
  • 1 Hour rehearsal for additional fee

Hourly Package

1-250 guests

Peak pricing $6,080-18,000

Off-peak pricing $6,080-12,000

Description

Whether you have 30 guests or 150, we just charge hourly. You get the entire Upper or Lower Garden fully private for an evening event.

What’s included
  • For Lower Garden: Bridal Suite
  • For Lower Garden: Parking
  • 1 Hour Rehearsal

Available services that can be provided by Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum

Services & amenities

  • Dressing room / Bridal Suite
  • Event staff
  • Pet friendly
  • Transportation
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Wifi

Transportation & access

  • Self parking - free
  • Shuttle
  • Wheelchair accessible

Reviews

Write a review

5.0 out of 5

2 reviews

Write a review

  • Gorgeous Venue!

    •Verified review
    •Jenn L.•Jul 5

    My husband and I just got married last week at the Japanese Friendship Garden (JFG) in Balboa Park, and we are so happy we chose this venue! The garden is absolutely stunning, especially in June. We visited so many venues and the JFG just kept calling to us. We really wanted our wedding to be an experience for our guests. With its natural beauty, there was really no need for much in terms of decorations. Marina, the venue coordinator, was a joy to work with--always prompt in answering my many questions and very upfront from the beginning about the venue's requirements, since it is first and foremost a museum and garden. The JFG can be a bit tricky in terms of its strict timelines, so using their recommended vendors who truly understand the layout and setup logistics is absolutely critical. For example, setup can only begin at 3 PM, and the earliest guests can arrive is 5 PM. You're also required to purchase a one-year membership as part of the venue rental, which we used as an excuse to keep visiting. We found a lot of inspiration from the NIWA Wedding Expo in November--it was incredibly helpful to meet so many of their recommended vendors. We also attended the Cherry Blossom Festival in March, which was so beautiful, and even got the idea for my signature drink, the Naguri Sake, from their beer and sake garden! The month leading up to the wedding wasn't without challenges. We ran into some issues with our original event rental company and ended up having to switch vendors just five days before the wedding. Marina was incredibly quick to act and helped us adjust our rental timing at the last minute, which made all the difference. We ended up getting to enjoy the venue space an extra hour! A few things I learned from planning our wedding that might help other couples: I highly recommend getting quotes from all the vendors on the venue's preferred list. It's a great way to help you have a budget baseline and understand your options--it's definitely worth shopping around. Consider having your wedding coordinator work directly with the event rental company instead of going through the caterer. I'd highly recommend Platinum Even Rentals. Overall, their pricing was significantly lower than all the other event rental companies I got quotes from. They did an excellent job -- everything was on time, there were absolutely no issues, and their setup was so smooth that none of our guests even noticed the transitions. In our case, the caterer was going to charge an additional 22% operational fee and 7.75% sales tax, which we avoided by having our coordinator work directly with the rental company. Thank you so much to Marina for helping make our day absolutely perfect. We were truly able to relax, enjoy the moment, and take it all in.

  • Enchanting evening

    •Verified review
    •Madeleine C.•Sep 17, 2024

    We hosted our daughter’s wedding last weekend. The venue is literally the perfect setting for a wedding and we received exuberant praise all evening for how beautifully magical everything was. I believe that our event was their largest to date (240), which meant that we had to split the ceremony and reception between the lower and upper gardens. Initially, we were concerned about having to make our guests trek from bottom to the top gardens (or take the provided shuttle), but this provided the guests with a charming walk through the gardens to gain an added element of beauty to the night. Marina, the event lead, was incredibly responsive and helpful throughout the entire process. Having a different starting location from the ending can be tricky (especially with a lesser know entry way), but the detailed instructions and maps that Marina provided proved to be extremely helpful in guiding everyone.

Real couples who got married at Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum

Show all photos

Explore other vendors serving San Diego, CA

Complete your dream team

Other venues in San Diego

Other wedding services nearby