Japanese Friendship Garden

we met in Iwakuni. A huge part of what made our wedding experience exceptional was Marina Miller, the Venue Manager. Marina’s professionalism, attention to detail, and warmth were evident from start to finish. She went above and beyond to ensure every aspect of our celebration was flawless, handling everything from parking to the smallest details you wouldn’t even think of. A true professional in every sense of the word. 10 out of 10—highly recommend the JFG if you want a wedding in a stunning, picturesque location. We booked our wedding a year in advance to secure a date right after the cherry blossom festival (March 20th), and even then, the blossoms were only about 70% bloomed. Don’t hesitate to book early, or you might miss out on the wedding of your dreams!

enchanting backdrop that will make your special day feel like a dream come true. The garden's exquisite landscaping, with its carefully curated flora, koi ponds, and peaceful pathways, creates a magical atmosphere that sets the stage for unforgettable memories. A huge part of what made our wedding experience exceptional was Marina Miller, the Venue Manager. From the moment we stepped onto the property, Marina's professionalism, attention to detail, and warmth were evident. She went above and beyond to ensure every aspect of our celebration was flawless, offering thoughtful suggestions and helping us coordinate seamlessly with vendors. Her calming presence and personalized care made us feel supported and at ease throughout the planning process and on the big day. It was clear that Marina genuinely cared about making our wedding as perfect as possible. With its breathtaking beauty and the incredible support of Marina Miller, the Japanese Friendship Garden is truly a dream venue for any couple seeking a serene, beautiful, and memorable wedding experience. Highly recommend!

nce. Communication with the venue coordinators was sub par. The coordinator we booked with, Anna, often took 2-3 days to respond to email. Her successor, Marina, is still green and doesn’t seem to grasp the importance of transparent and timely communication. She conveniently forgot to inform us that the Garden wouldn’t be refunding the security deposit we made, and we wouldn’t have found out had I not inquired a month and a half after the wedding. Once she finally provided an explanation, we reviewed the contract and understood why. Unfortunately, her predecessor had given us contradictory information when we toured the venue before booking. Not her fault that we were given incorrect information - and I feel foolish for not getting it in writing - but given the amount of money we spent to rent the venue ($10,000+), it’s not too much to expect professionalism. I’m a wedding planner and have prior experience as a venue coordinator, so admittedly, my expectations are quite high.

from the East Coast, we wanted our wedding to be somewhere special to San Diego. Balboa Park is undeniably a San Diego gem, and the JFG is by far our favorite offering. The Earth Bridge provides a breathtaking setting for an intimate outdoor peaceful garden ceremony, and the Inamori Pavilion provides the perfect indoor / outdoor elements for a reception with a unique & stunning esthetic along side the koi pond. The Lower Gardens were open exclusively to our wedding guests to explore and admire for the entirety of our event, which the venue allows until midnight. Christina, Anna and the private events team at the JFG were so kind, patient, professional and easy to work with hrough multiple postponements from the start of planning our wedding in early 2019 to finally celebrating July 3, 2022. Thank you for being a part of our special once in a lifetime day!

ace holds significant to the both of us. We met in high school in our Japanese culture club and had our first field trip as well as performed events here. Anna, the private events coordinator kept an open communication with us mostly through emails. We continued to update her on our chosen vendors and any questions we had she answered in detail. She also helped us schedule a day and time in the garden before opening hours for our engagement photo session. She truly went above and beyond to help our event run smoothly along with the rest of the JFG staff. Our vendors were able to set up earlier than we originally booked and members of our wedding party could drop off the decorations before our ceremony which took place off site. We had our reception at the Lower Garden in the Inamori Pavilion and added the shuttle service for our guests. They enjoyed exploring and taking photos in the garden and stated it was the perfect place for us to celebrate our marriage. Thank you for making our dream a reality!

tions from their email and JFG refuses to take responsibility for their cybersecurity failure resulting in this theft. JFG did not inform us of the hacked email account/scam/theft until 22 days after we made our final payment, which was 5 days before our wedding. Then 3 days before our wedding, JFG demanded we pay half of our final balance again or they threatened to cancel our wedding. We hope by sharing our experience, we can prevent others from facing this nightmare situation. Wells Fargo (bank of the fraudulent account) refuses to confirm cancellation of the fraudulent account, so there is potential for more couples to be scammed in the future. We were informed there were other victims - we're hoping you all the best. Since sharing our experiences online, we have already found another couple that were victims and have discovered additional negligence from JFG. JFG informed us of the scam on 5/17/22 but waited until 5/22/22 to inform this other couple. Since the wedding, we spent significant time and effort with our bank, police, Wells Fargo, and government agencies to recover the stolen funds but can't because the thief already withdrew the funds. -Lack of Cybersecurity - Inadequate cybersecurity, insurance coverage (JFG informed us that their insurance denied coverage of this theft), processes for timely discovery of cybersecurity failures. -Lack of Accountability - This was not a phishing scheme that we "fell" for where the email looked similar to the JFG's email. We were emailed directly from JFG's account as a reply to our existing email thread. JFG's verbiage following the incident, "As neither party's at fault for this issue"..."In the meantime, what we can offer is requiring only half of your payment", demonstrates lack of accountability for the crime that JFG allowed to occur resulting in their clients paying thousands of additional dollars that was not agreed upon nor budgeted for when signing the contract. It is outrageous that forcing their clients to pay their final venue costs again is considered an "offer". -Lack of Responsiveness - The hacker checked JFG's email more frequently than JFG in order to intercept emails (ie. payment receipts, follow-up confirming payment). JFG failed to provide final payment instructions in the contract or any other communications resulting in us having to reach out to JFG for payment instructions. It is inconceivable that JFG allowed 22 days to elapse after wire transfer (which was 5 days before our wedding at that point) to notify us of the stolen payment. JFG's delay led to inability to recover the funds. -Lack of Transparency - JFG reports they have contacted their insurance and Police/FBI; yet fail to provide documentation after numerous requests. The lack of 3rd party docs (ie. insurance, police, etc) from JFG to corroborate their claims is suspicious. -Lack of Customer Service - JFG's threat to cancel our event 3-days before our wedding was gut-wrenching and horrifying. JFG further victimized us with emotional distress. The scammer was the original culprit in this crime, but JFG's negligence was a factor in this theft and poor customer service was unacceptable. The gardens are gorgeous, so it's a shame that the business practices of the organization are poorly managed.

w person until 6 months later. Anna, the new events coordinator, was inconsistently responsive over email and difficult to get in touch with over the phone. During our rehearsal, she left the property without alerting me or my wedding planner, so we had to find a random staff member to help us. It also appeared that the venue was double booked during the rehearsal, as we were competing for space with another couple taking photos. The day of the wedding, Anna was not on site, and did not alert her staff that we were arriving when we did. We (photographer, wedding planner, florist, and bride) all waited outside the venue for 30 minutes before we were able to find a janitor to let us in. Even worse, we were scammed! Their system was hacked and ended up charging us $5,000 extra. However, no one from the Japanese Friendship Garden alerted us that we were scammed until we called them 3 weeks later after not receiving a confirmation email or any other communication. Currently, my husband and I are considering pressing charges to get our money back. The venue is beautiful, but I'm not sure it was worth the hassle.

it was absolutely stunning.

ful location for a wedding because of the weather and easy access, but we were doubly lucky with so many of the cherry blossom trees in bloom for our ceremony. Under a clear sky at a perfect temperature, even in February, we couldn’t have been happier with the outcome. More importantly, the staff at JFG, particularly Christina, were amazingly helpful in making sure we had everything buttoned up for our big day. Scheduling walkthroughs here was such a pleasure. Christina was a true partner to us throughout the process, giving us advice and connecting us with reliable vendors for what can so often be an overwhelming process. One particular point worth noting if you are on the fence: we wondered if the flight path coming in would be a problem for an outdoor ceremony. From the parking lot above, the sound from the planes is noticeable, but once you’re in the garden the valley acts as a shield from the sound. With all the other positives in play, this ended up not being a problem even in the least. Most of our vendors have told us that we were among the last weddings they worked for 2020. Looking to the future, we’re hopeful that a location as wonderful as this can once again see its share of happy couples tying the knot. We feel truly blessed with our memories of our big day here and want to thank the JFG and all of its staff for helping us realize an evening we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.

nd rainy weather. Little did I know things would get crazier with COVID-19. With that being said, all of our vendors handled our event with so much grace and professionalism. We could not have done this without them!! The JFG is magical! I’m surprised more events aren’t held here. Our wedding date luckily aligned with the cherry blossoms and as I walked down the aisle it truly felt perfect. We worked with Christina for almost a year. She is incredibly kind, helpful, patient, knowledgeable, experienced, accommodating, professional, and friendly. She always took the time to answer our emails with detailed responses. From our first venue tour to rainy day backup plans to various floor plans, Christina shared some great insight. We felt she really went the extra mile to assist with our reception floor plan. And we were so happy with the set up of everything. Things to note about JFG as a venue: -It’s completely DIY (this can be great for couples looking to customize!) -Like many venues they do have a preferred catering list ( I was a little disappointed at first because our guests included many older asian relatives who are accustomed to asian cuisine. We ended up choosing Ranch Events as our caterer and they were amazing!!) -Pets can be in the ceremony! (We couldn't imagine having our wedding without our fur baby so this played a huge factor in us choosing JFG) Some suggestions I’d like to add for JFG: Consider expanding catering list (Christina did note our catering recommendations and we greatly appreciate that) Consider bringing on a dedicated event coordinator to assist with the day of things. I think this would ease couple’s anxieties over the DIY factor 😊 Overall our wedding day was absolutely wonderful. Every guest was in awe of the scenery and they could not stop taking selfies! We are so happy we got to share such a wonderful place with our closest family and friends. Thank you so much JFG!

s an amazing event coordinator! She was very knowledgeable and had suggestions for anything I needed. My event wouldn't have gone as smoothly without her and her team. I'd recommend this venue to anyone!

p or event. The garden itself was still as aesthetically pleasing in the fall as it is in the spring. The grounds, water features, plant life and pavilion were all immaculately kept. The lower garden itself maintains a pleasing level of light just before daylight savings kicks in to make for wonderful photo opportunities. Our guests, who ranged in a variety of ages, were all very pleased with the garden. When dealing with the venue staff there was very little, if any difficulty in communication at all. We felt just as welcome on the first day we arrived to plan our wedding as we did on the very day itself. Cristina was great at follow ups and answering our questions, even to the day of the wedding. The one thing that may be a problem for some may be the parking. Since we used the lower garden, guests can park in a private parking area, close to the lower gate. We loved having safe and easy access, but you do have to walk a very small distance on an unpaved road. If you have disabled guests like we did, who rely on a mobility scooter, they will require someone to drive them up to the gate, and then drive back to the parking space because cars cannot be parked on the side road. The bridal room easily accommodates 7 adults, more than that, it will be a tight fit. The Garden also requires that you use one of their approved food vendors. We used culinary concepts and they were great! For decoration and set ups, you use San Diego linens which were great to work with also. All in all, we are very happy, we went with the garden.

staff was easy to contact, and Christina was always there to help us and give us any advice that we needed. The scenery is beautiful, and I love how they were lenient with the alcohol situation (open bar!!). Our guests could not stop talking about how beautiful the place was. I would definitely recommend!!

s been a week and I have completed the online information form, sent two emails, and left two voicemails and still have not heard a single peep from the planning department. It's extremely frustrating, and even if they did happen to get back to me at some point in the future, I don't want to be planning a reception with someone who is entirely uncommunicative and difficult to get in contact with. I always dreamed of having my reception here, but it seems as though it wasn't meant to be.

e wanted a place that could bring family and friends to a historic part of San Diego. The Japanese Friendship Garden was surrounded by gorgeous architecture and beautiful plant life. The venue alone was magically when we added the string lights that made everything wonderful. We are very appreciative with Christina and the JFG staff for being extremely easy to work with and providing us with great customer service. We love the atmosphere of this venue and are pleased to have had our wedding at this location.

blossom season anymore. Some friends told us about other venues for a cheaper price. But trust me, it worth it. You are not going to get the same view and landscaping. We not even needed to go to a different place for the photo session. We really enjoyed our day and I am satisfied with the service that JFG provided. They have some restrictions but we understood. They want to preserve the garden and the pavilion. Just one inconveniences: Since the lower garden is a new area, the address is not included on google maps yet so the guests could have a hard time finding the entrance. So be sure you give them a map with the location. The other thing is that at 4 pm there were still visitors and it was a little bit uncomfortable during the photo session. We had to wait for them to move sometimes to take our own pictures. I think these two details are not very important comparing with the wonderful evening we had. I highly recommend this place :)

and reception at the beautiful lower garden. The idyllic setting of the meticulously landscaped grounds, and centuries-old Japanese garden design was the perfect location for our special day. We couldn’t have picked a better venue. Our guests were able to enjoy the celebration, as well as walk the scenic landscape of the garden. Everyone in attendance took a little bit of the serene garden tranquility with them at the end of the night. We had the best day of our lives, and for that we thank all the management and staff of JFG for extending such a warm welcome, and making us feel so relaxed in the knowledge that nothing would be less than perfect on their watch. My husband and I are very thankful for the amazing experience!

She was able to answer any questions we had and worked with us. The Garden did not need any additional decorations as its naturally beautiful.

hich made it really easy to touch up with a few flowers to make it that much more amazing. You didn't really need much,since the Garden provided such lush greenery as a backdrop - pictures turned out amazing. The staff at JFG was very accomodating and fair, letting us know what was and was not allowed in terms of decorations around the Garden. Set-up time was a little tight (just 2 hours), since our vendors couldn't get in there until after the Garden was closed to the public, but everyone worked really hard and fast to make it work (thank you to all our other vendors!). All in all, I wouldn't have changed a thing about our wedding - I loved every minute of it, and the Japanese Friendship Garden had a lot to do with our great experience. Thank you JFG :)

t 80% of our guests were going to be from out of town, and we really wanted a venue that displayed the best of San Diego. Then before we actually decided we threw in the idea of JFG. What a beautiful hidden gem with history, energy, and beauty all in one garden. I would give 5 stars, however the Site Coordinator was not as easy to deal with as expected. Overall we had a beautiful garden all to ourselves for our special day. Our ceremony was on the moonlight deck, cocktail hour at the Ceremonial gates, and outdoor reception lit with yellow and white paper lanterns.

y few rules and our reception didn't have to end until 11:00 PM. The garden is insanely beautiful and easy for guests to get to. There's tons of free parking and lots of beautiful spots for photographs. It's private, romantic and unique.

ould be at the same area, which they were able to accommodate. The grounds are pretty bare, which allows you to customize the wedding to be however you would like. You can have the ceremony in the koi pond area, which is beautiful and can seat substantially more people that it appears. The only reason that I do take off one star, is because they were not too flexible. They changed managers during the planning stage and the new manager would not honor things that the old manager told us she would honor. Please make sure that you read the contract in detail and ask lots of questions so you dont have any problems like I did two days before the wedding.

areas" so it is interesting for guests. Very easy rules, you can stay until 11 pm and relatively affordable. Also - ceremony at the ceremony gate was perfect. We didn't need to add a thing!