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Anders Pettersson, junhanshi 6 dan, shōdōshi (准範士 六段 少導師).
The branch’s Shibu-chō (chief instructor or branch master as it often is called in English) is Anders Pettersson, who has the rank of Junhanshi 6 Dan and also the Sōkai rank Shōdōshi (准範士 六段 少導師).
He is also 1 kyū (1st class) kōshi-in (考試員/examiner) and shimpan-in (審判員/judge).
Since April 2019 Anders is WSKO instructor (少林寺拳法世界連合指導員), International instructor (kokusai shidōin/国際指導員) and international judge (kokusai shimpan-in/国際審判員).
Anders began practising Shorinji Kempo in January 1984, but wasn’t registered in WSKO until in June 1985 and has kisei 435. He has been to Japan and practised so many times that he lost count (more than 12 times). Five of those times (-89, -93, -97, 2005 and 2013) has been for International Taikai and Kōshūkai, other times it has often been other types of Gasshuku / Kōshūkai at Hombu. Most of the trips to Japan have been around 3-5 weeks, and include visits to Hombu but much of the time have also been spent in Kyoto, where we in Sweden has had an long exchange with Rakutō-dōin. In 1992 Anders was in Japan for 3 months, he lived in Kyoto and practised mainly in Rakutō-dōin, but also a little in Tambabashi-dōin. Two weeks were spent at Hombu where he (and two other Swedes: Jonas and Niclas Johansson) trained with the Busen students. (Busen is an abbreviation of Nippon Shorinji Budo Senmon Gakko (Senmon = special, Gakko = school), the school is now called Zenrin Gakuen.)
Anders together with Morikawa Zeoh sensei in Rakutō dōin 1992
Since that time in Kyoto, Anders has regarded Morikawa Zeoh sensei as his primary teacher and he always stay at Morikawa-sensei’s house when he visits Japan.
In addition to Shorinji Kempo being a fun and varied workout one of the things Anders like best about Shorinji Kempo is that he have got so many friends all over the world, including Japan, Australia, England, Canada, and the United States. Some of the better friends outside of Sweden are John McCulloch, Shibu-chō in Toronto Canada, but originally from Scotland, Steve Williams, Shibu-chō in Harrow England, and Yoshi Karahashi, Shibu-chō in the Peninsula in California USA. But also many others and of course many of the members of Rakutō-doin in Kyoto.
Anders together with Morikawa Kazuhito sensei (to the left) & Morikawa Hirohito sensei (to the right) during Daruma-sai in Rakutō Dōin 2019.
Gradings etc.
- Started to practice in January 1984
- Formally registered in WSKO in June 1985, kisei 435
- 3 kyū, October 1985
- 2 kyū, April 1986
- 1 kyū, October 1986
- Shodan (1 Dan) December 1987. Examiner was Roy Colegate-sensei
- Shōkenshi Nidan (2 Dan) September 1989. Hombu, chief examiner Kawashima-sensei
- Chūkenshi Sandan (3 Dan) September 1993. Hombu, chief examiner Matsuda-sensei
- Seikenshi Yondan (4 Dan) September 1997. Kyoto (Butokuden, international kōshūkai), chief examiner Makino-sensei
- Shōdōshi, April 2001 (written)
- Godan (5 Dan) September 2001 WSKO kōshūkai (training camp) in Jyväskylä, examiners were Arai-sensei and Aosaka-sensei.
- Daikenshi, December 2003 (only written test, evaluated at Hombu)
- Rokudan (6 Dan), Hombu February 2013, examiners were Onishi-sensei & Kawashima-sensei
- Appointed to kokusai shidōin (国際指導員 / International Instructor), 1 April 2019
- Appointed to kokusai shimpan-in (国際審判員 / International Judge), 1 April 2019
- Appointed to WSKO shidōin (少林寺拳法世界連合指導員 / WSKO Instructor), 1 April 2019
- Junhanshi, hombu September 2019, examiners were Irie-sensei & Yanagawase-sensei
Anders has also had a lot of assignments for administration work related to Shorinji Kempo and has been the president of the Swedish Shorinji Kempo Federation since it was founded in 1993, he was also hyōgi-in (Council Member) in WSKO during the period of 2002-2006. He has also had several different assignments in the Swedish Budo & Martial Arts Federation over the years.