Eri Pace

Founder, Eri's Senchado School
Certified Instructor of Ogasawara-ryu Senchado

Eri Pace is a certified instructor of Ogasawara-ryu Senchado and the founder of Eri's Senchado School in Rhode Island. She teaches Senchado with sincerity, precision, and warmth—welcoming students of all backgrounds to experience this refined cultural tradition.

Raised in Japan, Eri grew up immersed in traditional arts. She began Shodo at the age of four and later studied Urasenke Chado, Ikenobo Ikebana, and Kimono Dressing. These early experiences fostered a deep appreciation for beauty, discipline, and the quiet richness of Japanese culture.

After moving to the United States, Eri was struck by how many people loved Japanese culture yet had few opportunities to encounter its authentic forms. This experience strengthened her desire to share genuine Japanese tea culture abroad.

She later returned to Japan, where in 2019 she began her formal study of Ogasawara-ryu Senchado under Grand Master Shuko Ikuta. After receiving the Master Instructor License and her Senchado name Suiei (翠榮), she continued her training under both Grand Master Shuko Ikuta and the Ogasawara-ryu Senchado Head Family (Iemoto), maintaining a sincere and disciplined practice. She is also a Certified Nihoncha Advisor through the Japan Tea Instructor Association.

Returning once again to the United States, Eri founded Eri's Senchado School in Rhode Island in 2023. She now teaches across New England, offering classes, demonstrations, and cultural programs for public libraries, schools, community organizations, and the Consulate-General of Japan in Boston.

Eri's teaching emphasizes clarity, kindness, and respect. She hopes to create a welcoming space where students can experience the calm attentiveness, seasonal awareness, and cultural depth found in Senchado—believing that genuine experiences foster understanding, and understanding builds connection.