nwoo dates

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←All datesSep 12, 2026
Saturday

Ramen lunch, then koi ponds

Outcome pending
Sep 12, 2026
82° / 58°·Sunny

The day

10:45 AM
Slow morning at home, then leave Newark
Newark
No rush — easy start, then a short drive south. Travel times are planning estimates with buffers, not live traffic.
Drive·22 min·about 19 mi
11:30 AM
Ramen lunch — tonkotsu or shoyu, plus gyoza at Kumako Ramen Den
487 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129
Dairy-free · Ramen broths (tonkotsu, shoyu, shio) and gyoza are dairy-free. Skip the Japanese curry — the roux can contain milk — and ask for no butter-corn topping. Confirm no dairy additions when ordering.
Parking · Free strip-mall lot at Westgate/Saratoga Ave; usually easy midday.
Walk-in only, no reservations — arrive near the 11 AM open to beat the Saturday rush. Award-winning gyoza on the side. Rated 4.8 Google / 4.9 Yelp (via aggregator; not confirmed directly on each platform).
Drive·18 min·about 11 mi
1:00 PM
Koi ponds and a slow garden stroll at Japanese Friendship Garden
Kelley Park, 1300 Senter Rd, San Jose, CA 95112
Six-acre Okayama sister-city garden — koi ponds, waterfalls, tea house, easy flat paths. Free admission; $6 parking on site. Open 10 AM to sunset.
Drive·24 min·about 18 mi
2:45 PM
Home to Newark — rest, easy evening in
Newark
Nothing scheduled — couch time, or catch family who are in town for the weekend.
Walk·0 min – at home·0 mi
9:00–9:15 PM
Night time process 🕶️ 💊 ❌ 💧On your calendar
Walk·0 min – at home·0 mi
10:45–11:15 PM
Prep bed 😴On your calendar

Why it fits

  • One calm anchor plus a slow garden walk — a low-key Saturday that ends early, not a packed day.
  • Kumako Ramen Den rates 4.8 on Google and 4.9 on Yelp, and the ramen and gyoza are easy dairy-free picks.
  • Both stops are in San Jose within about 20–25 minutes of home, so there's minimal driving and the afternoon stays wide open.
  • Sunny and about 82°F — good weather for the koi ponds, waterfalls and tea house at the Okayama sister-city garden.

Bring

SunglassesSunscreenHats — you'll be in open sun walking the gardenA water bottle eachComfortable shoes for the garden paths

Backup

If Kumako has a long wait, Ramen Taka in Santa Clara (4.4 Google / 4.4 Yelp) is about 15 minutes away and takes the same lunch slot. If it's too warm for the garden or energy is low, skip it and head straight home to rest after lunch.