On April 20th, Viktor Karlholm of Stockholm Södra Shibu passed his test to yondan (4th dan). The test was held at hombu in connection to a gasshuku that Viktor attended together with Glen Eriksson from the same branch.

Viktor and Glen had for a while planned on going to Japan to attend a gasshuku at hombu and for Viktor to do his grading test. Just before departure, news of a terrible earthquake and a following tsunami in Japan reached the two and they were unsure if they were going to be able to go. Fortunately, The Shorinji Kempo hombu is not near to the affected areas so the gasshuku was held as planned although with a decimated number of participants from the different universities in Japan.

After the gasshuku, they also held a grading and Viktor had been approved to test for yondan (4th dan), which he did splendidly.

There is also a report from the grading at the WSKO webpage here, and a report from the gasshuku that Viktor and Glen attended here.

After the gasshuku, they were forced to change their plans somewhat and they spent most of the remaining time in Japan in and around Kyoto where they also visited Rakuto-doin to train.