From South Africa to Tokyo: The Journey of Vassie Shihan

To truly understand the heart of Goju-Ryu Seiwa-Kai Karate of LA, one must look to our founder and head instructor. Vassie Shihan’s journey as a student, teacher, and mentor spans over five decades, driven by a profound lifelong commitment to traditional Japanese Goju-Ryu karate. His inspiring story begins half a world away.

Early Roots in South Africa

Vassie Naidoo Shihan began his karate journey roughly 56 years ago in Durban, South Africa. Highly athletic from a young age, he spent his youth competing actively in cricket, soccer, and 100-meter relay sprinting. However, it wasn’t long before the spiritual depth and practical mechanics of martial arts captured his focus.

He was deeply drawn to traditional Goju-Ryu karate, finding a powerful alignment with its highly effective situational street-defense applications and profound inner philosophy. He initially trained under the guidance of Sensei Vincent Moodley, later transitioning to train with Sensei Leo Lipinski—marking the beginning of an enduring lifetime brotherhood and international martial arts partnership.

Training in Japan with “The Cat”

Fueled by a desire to study at the absolute source of the art, Shihan traveled directly to Japan to train at the honbu dojo of the legendary Grandmaster Gogen Yamaguchi. Known affectionately across the martial arts world as “The Cat,” Yamaguchi Sensei was a direct, senior student of Chojun Miyagi, the legendary founder of Goju-Ryu karate.

Immersed in this intense, traditional training environment, Vassie Shihan earned his prestigious Sandan rank (3rd-degree black belt) directly in Tokyo in 1978.

A New Home in California

During this era, apartheid was heavily prevalent across South Africa. As a prominent karate instructor and local business owner, Shihan spoke out with deep conviction against systemic racial segregation. Because of his transparent views, he and his dojo quickly became a target for localized political groups, making it increasingly unsafe for his young family to remain in the country.

Accepting a timely invitation from his close friend Sensei Leo Lipinski, Shihan traveled to Santa Monica, California for a training visit. Captivated by the vibrant community and looking for safety and opportunity, he decided to plant his permanent roots here, establishing his new home in Southern California in 1981.