Shinzen Friendship Garden, Fresno

About Shinzen Friendship Garden

Shinzen Friendship Garden is a Japanese garden in Fresno where visitors walk through landscaped grounds and explore the Clark Bonsai Museum, which houses a bonsai collection displayed indoors. The garden hosts seasonal events including the annual Tōrō Nagashi floating lantern ceremony, where glowing lanterns are released onto water to symbolize peace and remembrance. Throughout the year, the garden offers classes and workshops such as intro to birding, kintsugi pottery repair, the art of the kimono, and book club discussions focused on Japanese literature. A sound bath meditation session provides a restorative experience set within the garden's natural surroundings. Volunteer days occur monthly, allowing visitors to participate in garden maintenance. The garden is open Wednesday through Sunday, with the bonsai museum operating on the same schedule, though hours adjust during extreme heat or poor air quality. Families with children under four, students, and seniors receive reduced rates for general admission.