Hokka Nichi Bei Kai, or Japanese American Association of Northern California, was officially formed in the late 1800s as Nichi Bei Kai (also known as the Japanese American Association). Nichi Bei Kai offered programs that enabled Japanese immigrants to celebrate and practice their Japanese cultural heritage, helped Japanese immigrants adjust to life in the United States, and to promote goodwill between the U.S. and Japan.

In 2000, Nichi Bei Kai merged with the Japanese Speaking Society of America (Beikoku Nichigo Kyokai) to form the Hokka Nichi Bei Kai. Hokka Nichi Bei Kai is a non-profit educational organization committed to the promotion of traditional Japanese art and cultural practices. It offers instruction on Japanese language, history, music, and the arts, such as classical Japanese dance, ikebana (flower arrangement), shamisen (a three-stringed musical instrument), cha-no-yu (tea ceremony), and sumi-e (calligraphy). The three-story structure includes an authentic Japanese tea room (Chashitsu) which was donated by the City of Kyoto. It was built in Japan, disassembled and shipped to America and re-assembled at this site.

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