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Spring is cherry blossom season in Japan, Washington D.C., and a little corner of Golden Gate Park. Let’s have a springtime-in-Japan-in-San Francisco experience! This will be an active meetup, with several stops and walking at a leisurely pace on a flat surface. Please plan to attend for the entire event.

11:00AM - Meet at Tadaima (Inner Sunset location, 1248 9th Avenue) for a matcha latte, coffee drink, or snack. This is the newest location of Tadaima, which has other outposts in the Marina and the Mission. Lines have been around the block, but things should calm down by the end of March.

11:30AMish - Head over to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park (approx ½ mile walk). Enjoy the cherry blossoms, take pictures, etc. Please buy your ticket in advance. Tickets can be purchased here. Tickets are free for San Francisco residents with proof of residency; $18 for everyone else. There is a tea house in the garden if you would like more caffeine, but we will not be eating in the tea house.

1PMish - Head to Zentarou Sushi & Sake Bar for our lunch reservation (approx ½ mile walk). Zentarou is highly rated. They offer some very expensive omakase options for dinner, but lunch is more reasonable, with individual sushi entrees costing between $30 and $40.

After Lunch - The official event will end, but you can explore the other gardens at Golden Gate Park (make sure to purchase a “multi-garden” ticket if you plan to do this), or some of the great bakeries and ice cream shops in the Inner Sunset.

A note on rain - I’m optimistic that the weather will be fine, but I will reschedule if it’s raining.

Costs
Everyone is responsible for the food and drinks they order at Tadaima. Everyone is responsible for his or her own ticket to the Japanese Tea Garden. Everyone will pay for what they order at Zentarou, unless the group decides to order shared items and split the cost. No separate checks. Please be prepared to reimburse the host for your portion of the Zentarou bill via cash, Venmo, Zelle, or Apple Pay.

Taxes and Fees
Dining in San Francisco has a sales tax (8.625%). The restaurant likely adds a 5-6% employee health surcharge, and we will include a 20% gratuity.

Parking and Transportation
Muni N, 44 to 9th & Irving
Street parking, SFMTA lot at 7th & Irving
Our starting and ending points are about 2 blocks apart.

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