Wado in Wales

To the best of my knowledge the first Karate club to teach Wado Ryu in Wales was the Seki Ryu Kan located in Swansea. In 1965 Jerry Davies and Alan Petherbridge, asked Tatsuo Suzuki Sensei and Takamazawa Sensei if they would organise and set up a club in Swansea.

Later when Sensei Takamazawa left, Jerry Davies was awarded his Dan grade (the first person in Swansea to be awarded a black belt) soon to be followed by Mike Pinney and Keith Thomas (who now is the Chief Instructor for the Welsh arm of Sensei Tatsuo Suzuki's Wado International Karate-Do Federation).

At this time the club was affiliated to the United Kingdom Karate-Do Wado Kai (UKKW) and had over 100 students based in one dojo. In the course of time some instructor's left to set up their own Dojos, due to this, organisations such as the Welsh Karate Association (WKA) have been created. Today there are numerous karate clubs in Swansea and its surrounding areas, many of which can have their roots, traced back to the Seki Ryu Kan.

Sensei Keith Thomas although being one of the first members of the Seki Ryu Kan to achieve his black belt has continued his pursuit of karate for over 40 years and has now reached the grade of 7th Dan. This makes him the only Welsh man to have this honour awarded to him by Professor Suzuki.

Currently there are four clubs that form WIKF (Wales) and they are all lead by a highly motivated team of instructors who have all gained their Dan Grades (black belts) under Sensei Suzuki.

If you are interested in joining or affiliating to us please contact Mark Thomas (markthomas@wikf.com).