Shihan-dai Jim Barlow - Ardler Dojo

Jim Barlow is currently the Dojo Cho (Club Chief) at Ardler Complex, Dundee and has been teaching in this Club now for the past eight years. He was appointed as head of Ardler Club in 1998 and was also appointed as an Examiner in the same year. Sensei Jim began his training in Tenshinkan Karate in 1987 at Shihan Robert's Club in St Clement's Dojo. He began training after asking a work colleague who also attended the Tenshinkan Club at St Clements if he could bring along his son who at that time was 7 years old. His son soon left, but Jim carried on consistent training.

In 1990 while Kancho Mamoru Miwa was attending a Scotland Gashku Jim successfully passed 2nd Kyu brown belt grading exam. A year later he achieved his Shodan grading in December 1991 and like most members thought this was likely to be the pinnacle of his training, but little did he realise at this point that Karate training with Tenshinkan would take him to first Denmark in 1993 to once again train with Kancho and Shihan Hans Haupt and later to Japan.

Training in Denmark was probably a pivotal period for him as he enjoyed it so much when he returned to the UK he produced the first Tenshinkan UK Newsletter which was just 4 pages with a few photographs of the event. Jim explains, " I really enjoyed this week long Gashuku in Denmark and without doubt it changed my attitude to people and karate. I travelled together with Sensei Niall Auchinachie and Stirling students in a minibus and made a lot of lifelong friends from the event. Members in Denmark were just great and their hospitality was superb. It was so good that I just felt it was necessary to tell everybody back in the U.K. and that's how the newsletter came about."

The Newsletter has progressed from this time and is now a 16 page magazine. It was renamed by Kancho at the time of his visit to Scotland in September 1999 and given the name of "The Igirisu Senshin". This magazine can be viewed on the Official Website of Tenshinkan Karate Federation.

In October of 1996 Sensei Jim visited Japan along with Shihan Robert Kane and Shihan-Dai John Craig for a three week long Gashuku. Training in a traditional style of karate in the U.K. is one thing, but to train in the Honbu Dojo in Japan is an excellent experience. There is really no substitute for a visit direct to the Honbu Dojo in Hasadu City. Jim explains, "Training in Japan under the Tenshinkan World Chief Instructor is just at a different level altogether. Training is very tough, but the rewards from this if you work hard are of great benefit to your karate technique. The whole experience of Japan is so uplifting that when you return to your own country it takes several weeks to return to your own 'normal' training."

Such was the enjoyment of this experience that Jim returned again to Japan in October 2001, this with Sensei John McLean and Shihan Robert, mainly to sit his 4th Dan Examination which he successfully passed. Jim says, "Going to train at the Tenshinkan Honbu Dojo in Japan is a daunting prospect for anyone outside of that country. But going to train and to take an examination at the same time is even more problematic as the pressure is simply greater because of that fact. But my Grading Examination in Japan gives me a great sense of satisfaction and achievement and I'm very proud to have been permitted by Kancho to do this."

After returning to Japan, Jim has concentrated his efforts into developing the Ardler Dojo with Sensei John McLean and organising events such as the very successful 2003 Junior Tenshinkan Karate Tournament. His plans are to keep training and helping to develop the U.K. Tenshinkan Federation. In May 2003 Jim was awarded the rank of Shihan-dai in recognition of his continuing dedication to Tenshinkan in the UK.