Japanese Tea Education Class

Thursday, March 13, 2025 – 6:30 PM
Element Knife Company
1701 Platte Street, Suite 171
Denver, Colorado 80202

2 Hour Class
$55.00

Instructed by Oscar Brekell ブレケル・オスカル
Certified Japanese Tea Specialist / Tea Consultant & Author / Founder of SENCHAISM

We are excited to host Oscar Brekell for his Japanese Tea Education class. As the author of several books on Japanese tea—published in three languages—and with years of experience teaching in over 15 countries, Tokyo-based Oscar Brekell is widely recognized as a leading expert in the field. 

Born in Sweden in 1985, Oscar developed an interest in Japanese tea during high school, which grew into a lifelong passion and led him to relocate to Japan. He is one of the few foreigners certified as a Japanese Tea Instructor and the first non-Japanese recipient of a diploma for making hand-rolled sencha. 

After completing an internship at the Tea Research Center in Shizuoka Prefecture, he worked with semi-governmental organizations such as the Japan Tea Export Council and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), where he organized tea tours and educational programs.

In 2018, Oscar launched his own business and founded his tea brand, SENCHAISM. With a focus on single-estate sencha, his goal is to discover and share Japan’s most unique tea experiences—not just within Japan but with a global audience
.

Class & Points of Instruction: The World of Japanese Tea with Oscar Brekell
 • Oscar’s journey & the unique characteristics of Sencha
 • Single-cultivar tasting
 • Basic & advanced Sencha brewing techniques

Why Japanese Tea? What Makes Sencha Different?

Key Points & Keywords:
 • Fresh, forest-like aroma
 • Umami (savory richness)
 • Adjustable taste & flavor – a variety of brewing techniques
 • Simultaneously relaxing & focusing effects
 • An ever-evolving tea scene – how Japanese tea has changed and continues to evolve

With its rich umami and refreshing, forest-like aroma, Japanese green tea forms a distinct category of its own. In this session, we will explore what sets it apart from other teas worldwide and how cultivation and processing techniques influence its flavor profile.

 • Steaming process – Preserves the natural flavors of the tea leaves
 • Theanine – Contributes to both umami savoriness and a calming effect

Event Experience

Oscar has presented at and collaborated with:
 • Google (Headquarters)
 • Yelp
 • Ito En
 • World Tea Expo
 • Christofle Japan
 • JETRO
 • Trume
 • Mercari
 • SAP
 • Swedish Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Japan
 • San Francisco International Tea Festival
…and more.

Certificates & Awards
 • Japanese Tea Instructor
 • World Green Tea Association CHAllenge Award
 • Hand-rolled Sencha Assistant Instructor

Education & Skills
 • Bachelor of Linguistics – Lund University
 • Japanese Language & Culture Program – Gifu University
 • Languages: English, Japanese, Swedish