Jan Hermansson

At Hombu he eventually got awarded 4th dan, a rank not common among westerners in those days and hence the nickname "Janne Yondan" that he wore in Japan.

Upon returning to Sweden in 1980, Hermansson started training and teaching at a dojo in the southern suburbs of Stockholm, Farsta aikidoklubb.

When Hombu in 1998 granted Swedish aikido the right to give dan ranks without a Japanese shihan present, it can be assumed that Hermansson's name in the grading committee was an important factor.

Although the result hampered his physical mobility, he still taught at seminars and could else be found training at the aikido dojo Iyasaka in Stockholm.

Among Hermansson anecdotes, apart from the "skirt" event, his holding out one of the people training at Hombu dojo, known for being cruel to beginners, from a window asking "Hard or soft?"