David Harrandall

David Harrandall

Sensei David Harrandall – 4th Dan

David Harrandell 4th Dan began his Aikido career with UK Shinwakai Aikido as a very quiet and shy young boy of about 7 years old. He started his Aikido training at the UK Shinwakai Aikido, Beaconsfield Dojo along with 36 other children. He is the only remaining Aikidoka from that junior group. As a youngster and in later years, he travelled many times with Sensei Jack Poole and Sensei Marill Poole to Easter school and summer school. Prior to going to Japan David began his career as an Aikido teacher with UK Shinwakai Aikido teaching in the children’s class and all the children loved him. David has always been a natural Aikidoka and is a very giving person, so for him it was a natural progression toward becoming an Aikido teacher. As a student of UK Shinwakai Aikido, David achieved the Yoshinkan Aikido grade of Shodan. In Japan, David has moved forward in his Aikido development in both Traditional Aikikai and Yoshinkan styles of Aikido. David has made a new and highly rewarding life for himself in Japan and is now married to a wonderful Japanese woman and they have a son and a daughter with a new family member due to arrive by the end of January 2011

2001: Attained the rank of 1st Dan from the Aikido Yoshinkan

2005: Attained the rank of 3rd Dan from the Aikikai Foundation

2010: Attained the rank of 4th Dan from the Aikikai Foundation

In the “wilds” of the Japanese countryside, David Harrandell has now established two Aikido dojo (Tanuma-Nishi JHS Dojo, Sano & Sano Budokan Dojo)  Sano & Sano Budo where he both manages the dojo and teaches Aikido to the local population, young and old alike

David, his wife and family are also very proud of their new home they have just moved into. The house is a 140 year old Japanese style house in the mountains. David says “It’s so far in the countryside that we have monkeys, boars, deer and bears for neighbours”. We wonder if any might join him at the dojo for some Aikido training. So far country life suits David, but according to the locals (the human ones) it’s going to get quite hard during the mid winter weeks… David is looking forward to the challenge

In November 2010 David accompanied the Aikido Sensei from the Oyama Dojo (where he sometimes trains) to Tokyo. David was his uke at the 50th anniversary of his university’s Aikido club. The Doshu was watching and afterwards they all got together for a reception. David met with Doshu who now knows “the crazy foreigner spreading the art in the deepest darkest parts of the Japanese countryside”

David Harrandell’s latest plan is, with the permission of the Head Priest, to open a dojo at his local temple – Manju-ji (which means ten-thousand-trees temple). David and his students have already held a couple of practice sessions at Manju-ji so as to get the feel of this new training venue. See the photos below: All at UK Shinwakai Aikido wish David, his wife and his family all happiness and continued success in Japan and we await the continued ‘Adventures of David Harrandell Son of Shinwakai’.