Chief Instructor Desmond Tuck, started his training in 1970 in Durban, South Africa under the late Shihan Leo Lipinski (1947-2018). Tuck Shihan is the most senior practicing student of the late Lipinski Shihan who was formerly the South Africa head of the International Karate-do Goju Kai under Gogen Yamaguchi, Hanshi. Tuck Shihan emigrated to the USA in 1978 and continued his training in North America, Central America, Europe, South Africa and Japan.
Tuck Shihan has spent countless hours training under many of the world's top Gojuryu instructors and was a founder of Seiwakai USA in 1992, serving as its president for 17 years. He resigned in 2019 and initially formed Goshukan International. Subsequently he became the US representative of Akio Takahashi, Hanshi, world head of Gojuryu Karatedo Kenwakai. He is now the head of Kenwakai USA and international liason for Canada and Mexico. He obtained 6th Dan from the JKF Gojukai in 2007, 7th Dan from Seiwakai International in 2013, 7th Dan from the Dai Nippon Butokukai in 2020 and 7th Dan from Akio Takahashi Hanshi in 2024. He has also received the honor of Kyoshi from Seiwakai International and the DNBK. He is a member of the All Japan Karate-do Federation through Kenwakai.
Kenwakai has branches in the US and Mexico and associated members in the UK and Australia. The intention is to focus on traditional Gojuryu kumite as practiced by Takahashi Hanshi, believed by many to be the one of the finest Gojuryu kumite practitioners ever to emerge from the Gojuryu stable of Gogen Yamaguchi Hanshi.
