Los Gatos, Calif.
Artist talk with Ken Matsumoto
Saturday, June 4

The Iwasawa Oriental Art gallery and Japan Society of Northern California will host a relief benefit for the people of Japan. Sculptor Ken Matsumoto will give an exclusive meet-and-greet event and a lecture at 2:30 p.m. at Iwasawa Oriental Art, 75 University Ave. Admission is $30, with half of the ticket sales going toward the Japan Society of Northern California’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. Advanced registration is required by May 31; contact www.usajapan.org or (415) 986-4383.

Matsumoto’s work has been showcased at institutions, including Apple Computer, Saks Fifth Avenue, the City of San Jose and the City of Sacramento. He is the director of Art Object Gallery in San Jose. Matsumoto’s stone sculptures will be on display at Iwasawa Oriental Art gallery through Thursday, June 30.

San Jose
Fundraising dinner for Japan relief
Saturday, June 4 (Update: The fundraiser has been postponed due to low ticket sales and lack of funding.)

The San Jose State University Japanese Student Association will hold a dinner to raise funds for earthquake relief. The dinner will be held at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, 640 North Fifth St. in San Jose’s Japantown. The cost to attend will be $25 per person. There will also be a silent auction featuring autographed NFL football memorabilia and live entertainment. For more information, visit http://jsasjsu.jimdo.com. To purchase tickets, e-mail care4japan@gmail.com.

For additional coverage of the ongoing crisis in Northeastern Japan and more information on ways to help the relief efforts, visit www.nichibei.org/disaster_in_japan.

For tips on determining which charitable funds to consider supporting, visit the Better Business Bureau’s Standards for Charity Accountability online at www.bbb.org/us/Charity-Standards, or call (703) 276-0100.