This place is very zen and relaxing, and is very pretty. A great place to bring a baby or a friend. Spots to take photos as well.

This is an absolutely gorgeous place to walk around, even though it’s a little bit small. They generally have feedings of the koi fish twice a day, but not as much during covid times. It’s free to enter, but you can’t bring pets or strollers. Wheelchairs are okay!

Fun free and safe environment to social distance and be free out in the nature

Beautiful little garden that is well maintained. It is a great space for children too.

So beautiful I didnt want to leave!!! My toddler even felt the vibe... Hes never been so quiet... He just kept breathing deep like me... Lol

First time in the garden. Its beautiful and the coy fish are just huge!

Very beatiful. Great place to sit and pray. Very well maintained and very friendly people

San Mateos Central Park is a lovely park in Downtown San Mateo! I dont know if the train is running just now, what with CoVid 19, but it is still a wonderful place to just be. All of San Mateo is a wonderful place to be.

Beauty at its best. The kids love watching the Koi fish and turtles.

My place for finding inner peace since I was a kid. Its quiet and peaceful. #zen

Larger Japanese Garden than expected, right inside San Mateo Central Park. Beautiful and relaxing. Wonderful place to relieve your stress, thats right in the middle of a busy city. Lots of plants, waterfalls, bridges, walkways, and places to sit and meditate. A few minutes there and youre magically transported to Japan! Go and enjoy!

Good place to take the kids, especially toddlers. It is free. I think feeding time is at 11am and at 3pm.

Finally had a nice afternoon walk in this small Japanese garden， wished I could have a cup of tea thereVery neat pleasant place to spend relaxing time, especially during summer time. Gladly to see quite nice flowers in/around the garden, and the garden been maintained so nicely

Tiny park next to downtown San Mateo. It might be crowded lunch time and weekends - nice place to have your meal on a break or make wedding photo, you know. But somehow you can always find a spot there to relax and feel protected from outside world and office hustle.

Beautiful peaceful place

Awesome and covid-19 ready!Open during weekends

They generally have feedings of the koi fish twice a day, but not as much during covid times.

Such a gem! This garden is so beautiful and I took my sweet time walking around because its so well taken care of. Well worth visiting and enjoying nature.

The Japanese garden is small but beautiful. Well maintained with artistic details everywhere. The pond is home to duck families and several large koi fish of various colors. There are a couple waterfalls and water features as well as a cute bridge and two additional tiny bridges. Stroller parking is just inside the entrance.

So beautiful, so relaxing, love the carp! Weather usually premium, lots of benches or grass to lounge in/on and is nicely kept.

Small beautiful Japanese park and must take pictures in every areas .

Very small, nice Japanese garden. No food or drinks. No pets.

Wonderful to go around in this area!

Love it was nice and clean and a lot of koi fish

Beautiful hidden garden in the middle of the city.

Great place to spend with your family.

Place was amazing and staff are very friendly,.

Nice place to spend 30mins n walk around San Mateo central park (another 60min)

I had my wedding over there was a beautiful and pleasant place to get married, the flowers make a romantic place to engage our love.Mr&Mrs Bars

Nice place to visit with the family

Absolutely beautiful every time I visit. I love taking my class here to unwind and relax.

Nice little garden to enjoy a short stroll. Saw people reading in the tea house, seemed a relaxing place to sit and enjoy the nice weather. Free, which was nice.

Beautiful place to just chill and relax. Well done.

Really enjoy visiting the garden and the park

Small but tranquil, with koi fish. strollers need to be left near the entrance

Beautiful, peaceful, so well tastefully put together.

Little gem nestled in San Mateo Central Park.I go here occasionally for lunch hour break.Sister to Toyonaka Japan.Majestic soulful healing design.Sidebar bonus,.... there is also a Rose Garden a few feet outside of the Japanese garden.

For serenity, go at a time when it won’t be crowded, such as when it opens or on a rainy day. Alternatively, go when they feed the Koi and enjoy the children’s excitement and wonder.

Great place to walk, or just relax

Good place for leisure time

Such a beautiful area to visit. Very peaceful, and wow, the largest Koi fish I have ever seen in my life! :) My 9 and 10 year old kids loved it too.

Very soothing. I come here at lunch sometime. A very tranquil spot for a busy work day.

Charming Zen garden

If youre in San Mateo or Foster City there cant be a nicer place to take a walk. Lots of moss and pine trees; and Id love to come back during the cherry blossom season. Easy parking in the nearby garage.

Nice place to relax for a few minutes

A very nice and surprising find in the heart of San Mateo downtown. Cant imagine what this place will look like during spring with blooming flowers.

Its chill. Just wish that had a little more stuff here.

Love this Garden especially in winter time. I miss home so much and thus place remind me good memory. The gardener who takes care of the garden is very nice to everyone :)

We love this place. Its so beautiful and the Koi are amazing

Love this place. As a photographer its great for photoshoots. Kids love the fish and during seasonal times you can feed them!

I thought it would be bigger. It was a nice Japanese garden tho. Theres a parking lot under the tennis court, so thats a plus.

Nice place for Tennis!

Calming space in Central Park.

So glad we decided to stop by here on our way to see trees. The park its nestled in is enough to step out of the city (and into nature for a while). This garden in particular was very tranquil. I could see spending a lunch break there to relax if I worked nearby.

Fun place to visit!

Tiny but excellent garden hidden away from the shopping area in San Mateo, worth a quick look on a nice day

Quiet, beautiful and serene. A bit of peace in the heart of the city.

Small and very basic Japanese garden. However, its free to access during the day, has Koi, and is a great stroll to relax. Narrow paths lend to being better with smaller groups/couples.

Beautiful walking place, very calm and nice. If youre lucky, the koi fish get together and you can snap few photos.

I bring my kid here often. We watch the fish and walk around talking about garden features, including other people. Its a popular place for engagement photos and quinceañera pictures and Kid likes all the fancy dresses.Unless you book it special for an event, no food or drinks allowed.

Nice plants and cute fish

Beautiful, well-maintained garden. We took our time walking around the ponds using their bridges and looked at various faunas

Beautiful and well kept. Nice walk through some Buddhist gardens. Zen and Peace of mind.

Nice but very small. U can walk through it in 10 minutes.

Beautiful well maintained Japanese garden

Small but beautiful tranquil garden (sans screaming kids) reminded me of gardens in kanazawa and Kyoto only on a tiny scale. It would be lovely in spring.

Great park close to lot of establishments has parking place great for taking childrens has good swings and skides

Hasnt changed since I was a kid. In a good way

A beautiful place to sit and relax. Four stars because of the pretty ugly water the fish are in. I would love for that to be cleaned out monthly.

Very pretty. Its clean lots to see

They have nice things little rivers and little plants its nice

Small and nice. A lot of big koi fish, but in murky water.

This is great place to visit.

Good

Always love coming here when i get the chance. Soooo peaceful

Such a beautiful garden. Nice and chill, very well maintained

This is a small japanese garden but it feels refreshing though. Walking in the garden is nice and when i visited (december 2018), it was not crowded. The tributes to japanese culture help understand what is so special about maintaining a good garden. I grew up coming here and now love to take my own children. I never tire of the stone paths, coi fish, the teahouse. The gorgeous plants and flowers and of course the arched bridge.

Lovely garden to visit. The Japanese garden offers free entrance and is best to visit at the beginning of the week. The garden has some beautiful bonsai and Japanese maple trees, both blood maples and green leaf. The garden is small, but very tranquil and pleasant. The garden is located in the middle of Central Park. My family and dog love visiting Central Park, however, Central Park Japanese garden is off limits to pets.

So many koi!! And the beautiful Japanese maple trees!

The water was nasty. Not fully wheelchair friendly

Gorgeous gardens, small but well curated plant, pond, and bridges.

Classic, quintessential San Mateo. Ive loved this place for 34 years.

The last time i went to that place the sprinkler wet my babys stroller and all are stuff when we left it parked in the stroller parking area

So peaceful. My husband and I walked around here and took a seat for a while after breakfast one day and I cant wait to go back.

Thought it was bigger.

I believe the Tea Garden opened in 1973. I love walking through here when there is not a lot of people visiting the garden. It can be calming and tranquil. Has always been well maintained through the years.

Good service. Delicious sushi. House sale didnt taste like original sake. Wasabi wasnt real. Tastes like substitute. Overall a great place to get lunch with family.

My fav place

Beautiful garden in Central Park

Well kept and calming. Some rude people make too much noise and allow their kids to wheel scooters through the gardens.

They have a nice koi pond

Its nice but very small. More of a trail than a garden...

San Mateo has THE best parks!!

Tranquility At Its Best here in San Mateo.

It gives me an inspiration

Nice park to walk off your brunch. Had an enjoyable walk in the well maintained garden. Its small, will probably take no more than 10mins to walk through the entire park. Nevertheless, a nice place to stroll (and make many rounds) and admire the garden.

The best experience for young children !

This garden is so cute and beautiful. And its free! Much smaller than the one in SF but who cares?!? Great place to take pictures.

A beautiful Japanese garden, conveniently locatedin San Mateos downtown Central park. Relax and enjoy the flowingwater, Japanese maple trees, and other beautiful plants.Its also a symbol of San Mateos Japanese influencedheritage, along with the Japanese supermarkets.Hope to see it well maintained and beautiful for manygenerations to enjoy.

My daughter favorite park