Japanese Culture Club of ArizonaThe Japanese Culture Club of Arizona is hosting its Annual Tea and Luncheon on Sunday, Dec. 4. The proceeds of the event will go towards funding the “Sun Sun Project,” which is dedicated to building a group housing facility at the Asunaro Home in Rikuzen-Takata, Japan.

The Asunaro Home focuses on operating a workshop for mentally challenged people. Rikuzen-Takata was also heavily impacted by the tsunami and earthquake in March 2011, where 20,000 people lost their homes.

There will be a Japanese Flute and Taiko drum performance and a traditional Okinawa dance at the event. A silent auction will also take place, where original artwork from mix media artists will be featured.

The Annual Tea and Luncheon will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Arroyos Banquet room of the Hyatt Gainey Ranch, located at 7500 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd. in Scottsdale.

Admission to the event is $30, which can be given by cash or check. Reservations to the luncheon must be made in advance, no later than Nov. 28.

Japanese Culture Club of Arizona“Our club is open to everyone that is interested in learning more about the Japanese culture while enjoying our events,” says Harumi Maejima, president of the club.

The Japanese Culture Club of Arizona is a non-profit organization that participates in cultural active interchange between Japan and Arizona in order to promote goodwill and to establish understanding, benefit and enjoyment.

“We are a non-profit organization dedicated to causes such as helping victims of the devastating earthquakes and tsunami in Japan earlier this year,” Maejima says.

Japanese food and cooking classes, origami paper workshops, kimono fashion shows, tea ceremonies, calligraphy instruction, Ikebana flower arrangement classes and Japanese music and film festivals are only some of the events that the club hosts.

For more information on the Japanese Culture Club of Arizona, visit the club’s website at www.japanesecultureclubofaz.org.