It was during a social event while working at The New Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego that Tomoko Kuta met the president and CEO of the San Diego Botanic Garden Ari Novy.
Kuta explains the conversation as informative at first, with Novy telling Kuta about the Botanic Garden and Kuta talking about her work with interactive projects and curated artwork at the museum.
“We just kind of struck up a conversation about what the possibilities are at the Botanic Garden for engagement and could there one day be art there,” Kuta remembered.
After conversations with Novy, Kuta said he offered her a job. After about 10 years at The New Children’s Museum, Kuta was hired at the Botanic Garden in 2021, first as a senior director of education and visitor services, then as the chief operations and engagement officer. Now she is the chief operations and advancement officer.
“He saw the need for project management, oversight, raising teams, you know, that sort of thing,” Kuta said. “It’s been a really good fit. I’ve enjoyed learning about the garden. I work closely with the board now. I’m getting to know the community of supporters. It’s just been fantastic, and all I do is showcase the work of my colleagues.”
San Diego Botanic Garden is an approximately 37-acre attraction in Encinitas. Guests can walk through the various sections of the garden, connect with nature and learn about plants, trees, rainforests and other vegetation from around the planet, such as Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.
“San Diego is the most biodiverse area in the United States,” Kuta said. “We have more native plant species than anywhere else in the United States, and because of our Mediterranean climate, we can showcase plants from around the world.”
The garden is also a habitat for various birds that fly into the area at different parts of the year, and there are ponds with turtles and fish, Kuta added. There is also an 8,000 square-foot conservatory that is made of glass, showcasing rare and tropical plants from around the earth.
In addition, the Botanic Garden also does conservation work and hosts various events and programming throughout the year, such as succulent workshops, open-air yoga, restorative walks through the garden and behind-the-scenes tours for members.
Kuta said later this year, guests can expect an outdoor summer concert series, jazz nights, a fall festival, a teachers’ appreciation day and the Botanic Garden’s annual World of Orchids spring exhibit in May.
“The reason why I love this garden, besides its beauty, is you can come here for a respite from the busyness of our lives,” she said.
Kuta has been a resident of Encinitas for almost 25 years after living in New York, France and Japan.
She describes Encinitas as a community that has it all: public beach access, canyon trails for hiking, “great” coffee shops, bars, restaurants, shops and the nearby San Elijo Lagoon and Ecological Reserve.
“It’s beautiful,” Kuta said. “We have these magical areas (where) you can go off and walk through the wilderness, too. I couldn’t have picked a better city. I didn’t know it at the time in 2001, but I feel so, so lucky to be here.”
Here are her favorite places in and around Encinitas that she recommends visiting right now.
Tomoko Kuta is the chief operations and advancement officer and the San Diego Botanic Garden.
(Venice Henson)
Q: Where is your favorite dining option?
A: I just discovered Forchettina, run by a lovely couple originally from Sicily. Their pizzas and other Italian food are homemade and absolutely delicious. And mostly what I enjoyed was the owners. They came out and talked to the guests in the dining area, and they made everyone feel at home. The people who work there are just really, really welcoming.
The gift shop at Barrels & Branches in Encinitas on Friday, February 06, 2026. (Hayne Palmour IV / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Plants on display at Barrels & Branches in Encinitas on Friday, February 06, 2026. (Hayne Palmour IV / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Employee Shelby Meacham waters plants at Barrels & Branches in Encinitas on Friday, February 06, 2026. (Hayne Palmour IV / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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The gift shop at Barrels & Branches in Encinitas on Friday, February 06, 2026. (Hayne Palmour IV / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Q: What is your favorite small retail business or pop-up vendor to support?
A: Barrels & Branches Nursery is a unique and beautiful place to purchase plants and other gardening supplies. They organize by type of plants, but in a way that makes you feel like you’re walking through a garden. And even though they don’t have a giant selection, they have very unique plants, and they’re in really good shape.
Q: Where is your favorite open space?
A: I love running along the rail trail down to Cardiff Reef beach and south to Seaside Reef. When it was built a few years ago, it was very controversial. People didn’t want the disruption. And now I see so many people using it and so many different kinds of people. You see families with young children and some with strollers. I see people on rollerblades. I see people on bicycles. I love that it’s another place for people to get outdoors. It’s near the ocean and you get incredible views, like in the morning you can see the sun rising and you can see a sunset in the evenings. It’s a place to enjoy the outdoors, and I love that.
Q: Where is the best piece of artwork?
A: I’m always impressed with the art exhibitions at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center as well as at the Encinitas Public Library. I think it’s just a great way to see new artists and their artwork is showcased and introduced to the public in a setting outside of an art gallery. It’s a really nice surprise to see curated art pieces in a senior center and in a pubic library.
Q: Where is your favorite entertainment attraction or historic landmark?
A: The farmers markets in town are great, both the Saturday market at the MiraCosta College parking lot in Cardiff and at the Paul Ecke Central Elementary school on Sundays in Leucadia. I’m someone who loves discovery, and there are so many interesting vendors at these farmers markets. Of course, you can get produce that hasn’t traveled across half the globe. But then there are these incredible vendors making handcrafted things, baked goods and vendors making food to eat there or take home. You can always find something interesting to sample, and I think that’s important for us as human beings, or at least for me, to learn and try something new.