Hakone Gardens

Hakone is a short climb above Saratoga Village, where Highway 9 starts its run into the Santa Cruz Mountains. Behind a carved wooden gate are 18 acres of ponds, waterfalls, moss, bamboo and old timber houses built in the Japanese style a century ago. The foundation that runs it describes Hakone as one of the oldest residential-style Japanese gardens open to the public in the Western Hemisphere.

From Palo Alto it is about 17 miles, close enough for a morning visit and lunch in the village. This guide covers the garden's documented history, what to look for, the winter 2026 hours and prices and the practical details that matter on a steep, old site. Our Saratoga guide covers the rest of the town.

From summer retreat to public garden

In 1915 Oliver and Isabel Stine, San Francisco arts patrons, bought the hillside as a summer retreat. Isabel was inspired by the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco that year and by a trip to Japan in 1916. She named the estate after the Hakone area near Mount Fuji. Japanese designers did the work, with the gardens credited to Naoharu Aihara and the hilltop house to Tsunematsu Shintani. Building began in 1917.

The estate changed hands several times:

1. 1932: Financier Charles Lee Tilden bought it and hired the landscape gardener James Sasaki.
2. 1961: After years of neglect, the Gresham family and four Chinese American couples, including restaurateur Johnny Kan, bought and restored it as a private retreat.
3. 1966: The City of Saratoga bought Hakone, saving it from redevelopment. Gardener Tanso Ishihara and architect Kiyoshi Yasui drew up a master plan that extended the gardens across the property.
4. 1987: The Bamboo Garden was added to mark Saratoga's sister city tie with Mukō in Kyoto Prefecture.
5. 2000: The nonprofit Hakone Foundation took over operations.
6. 2013: The estate was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Hakone Historic District.

Film fans may recognize the grounds from "Memoirs of a Geisha" (2005), which shot scenes here.

The four gardens

• Hill and Pond Garden. The heart of Hakone and its strolling garden, with a koi pond, a moon bridge and a waterfall tumbling down the hillside.
• Zen Garden. A dry garden of raked gravel and large stones meant for viewing, never for walking. Look for the shrine lantern, a black pine and a small bed of moss that took years to establish.
• Tea Garden. A path of moss and stepping stones that leads to the tea rooms, with a stone water basin for purifying the hands.
• Bamboo Garden. Rare bamboos, many grown from specimens sent from Japan from 1985 and cared for by volunteers. Parts may close in April and May to protect new shoots.

The buildings

The Upper House, also called the Moon Viewing House, sits on the slope above the pond. The foundation says it is the original house built by the Stines in 1918, put together without nails, with tatami floors and an alcove for a scroll and flowers. The Lower House followed in 1922. The main gate was built by the Nishiura brothers of San Jose from a single large redwood log.

The Cultural Exchange Center is the most unusual building. It is a 19th century Kyoto tea merchant's house and shop that was built in Japan, taken apart, shipped to Saratoga and reassembled, with its shell strengthened for California's earthquake codes. It now hosts rotating exhibits. In fall 2026 it showed "UMI," paintings and an installation by Bay Area artist Chris Sicat inspired by Hokusai's The Great Wave, running through December. The Lower House displayed Japanese cloisonné on loan from a private collector.

Hours and tickets

Hakone runs summer and winter schedules. The visitor information page lists these winter hours from October 31, 2026 to March 15, 2027:

Summer hours, which ran from March 9 to October 30 in 2026, extend closing to 5 p.m. The garden closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day and sometimes for special events, which are posted on the home page.

Admission in late 2026 was $15 for adults 18 to 64, $12 for seniors 65 and up and $10 for youths 5 to 17. Children 4 and under are free. Tickets are sold online. A few discounts apply:

• Saratoga residents enter free on the first Tuesday of each month with a photo ID showing a Saratoga address.
• Since January 2026 there is no longer free entry for other Santa Clara County residents.
• Through Museums for All, visitors with an EBT card and matching photo ID get free admission for up to four people.

Guided options were limited in 2026. A February 2026 notice said Hakone was not booking new private tea ceremonies or docent tours during its peak season, so check the tours page before planning around one. Ticketed workshops in Japanese flower arranging were running in fall 2026.

Getting there from Palo Alto

Driving is the only practical option. Take Interstate 280 south, then Highway 85 south to the Saratoga Avenue exit. Follow Saratoga Avenue into the village and continue uphill on Big Basin Way to Hakone's entrance at number 21000. The trip takes about 30 to 35 minutes outside rush hour. The entry road is steep with sharp turns, which is why buses longer than 30 feet are not allowed.

There is no Caltrain or light rail in Saratoga and a bus trip from Palo Alto takes several transfers. Visitors without a car can compare rental cars and combine Hakone with other foothill stops. Highway 9 has narrow shoulders, so do not try to walk up from the village.

Tips and accessibility

• Arrive early in winter. With a 4 p.m. close and an earlier last entry, an afternoon start leaves little time.
• Wear good shoes. Paths are gravel and stone, with steep steps in places.
• Stay on the paths. Many structures are over 100 years old. Do not climb on stones, bridges or railings.
• Do not feed the koi yourself. Coins and outside food harm the fish. Koi food is sold in the gift shop in spring and summer.
• Photos. Personal snapshots are welcome. Portrait, wedding or graduation shoots need a permit.
• No pets. Only leashed service dogs are allowed.

The foundation is open about access. Because the estate was built as a private residence on a steep hillside with traditional stone and gravel, some areas are not fully accessible. ADA parking and restrooms are on site and the downloadable garden map shows accessible routes. A planned renovation of the 109-year-old koi pond, designed by Hoichi Kurisu and due to start in November 2027, aims to improve access around the entire pond.

Food nearby and pairing it with other stops

Hakone has no cafe, but it does have a garden-view picnic area with five tables, first come, first served. Outside the picnic area only bottled water is allowed. Most visitors eat in Saratoga Village a minute downhill, where Big Basin Way has restaurants, cafes and wine tasting rooms in older buildings.

Good pairings:

• Montalvo. The free grounds and trails of the Montalvo Arts Center are a few minutes away, covered in our Saratoga guide.
• Los Gatos. Los Gatos is about 10 minutes southeast for a longer stroll and dinner.
• A hike. Sanborn County Park is up Highway 9 and Fremont Older Preserve overlooks the valley.
• More gardens. Garden lovers can compare Hakone with Filoli in Woodside and Gamble Garden in Palo Alto.
• A San Jose oddity. The Winchester Mystery House is about 25 minutes northeast.

For more autumn outings in the hills, see our fall colors guide. To make a weekend of the foothills, compare hotels in Saratoga and Los Gatos.

Frequently asked questions