To celebrate our third year of programming — and our exciting new status as a registered charity — The Dōjin Japanese Arts Society hosted its first-ever summer rooftop patio party and online fundraising auction in support of our programs throughout the year.

While some of our programming is supported by grant funds and participant fees, there are many additional behind-the-scenes costs involved in bringing these programs to life. So on Sunday, July 27, 2025 we invited our community to don their yukata, bring a fan, and join us on the rooftop patio at Eat Bar & Patio Haraheri for a joyful afternoon of live music, delicious food, and in-person viewing of auction items.

It was a beautiful sunny day on the patio and a great opportunity to spend some time getting to know each other better. We were treated to live musical entertainment from the incomparable BUSHIDO duo featuring Alcvin Ryūzen Ramos and Nori Akagi. These talented, multi-instrumental musicians really raised the energy with their fabulous stage presence and dynamic repertoire that ranged from contemporary to traditional Japanese folk melodies.

Opportunities to bid in our online auction spanned a total of one week, and came to a close as the in-person patio party wrapped up. There were even a few exciting bidding wars for which we were appreciative as all funds raised from this campaign go directly toward our annual operational costs.

To all our wonderful supporters who participated in our first fundraiser campaign – whether by joining us in person, bidding online, or making a donation – we send our sincerest thanks for your overwhelming generosity and support. Thanks to your enthusiasm, we were able to raise just over $5,000 which will provide a substantial boost to our operational budget and help us to maintain the infrastructure that is needed to keep our programs running.

Thank you for supporting our mission of bringing traditional Japanese arts and culture into our communities in meaningful, engaging ways. We are deeply grateful to be able to continue to grow this warm and enthusiastic community of fellow Japanese arts lovers!

A very special thank you to our donors for the online auction: