Instructors
The head instructor of the Kengokan Dojo of Shorinjiryu Kenyukai Watanabe Ha Karate is Renshi Des Paroz. Des holds the rank of 5th Dan and the title of Renshi.
Des commenced training in Shorinjiryu Karate in 1983 in Gunnedah, Australia. In 1984 he moved to Brisbane, Australia, where he trained as a student of Shihan Phil Hooper (now 7th Dan), Shihan Jim Griffin (now 7th Dan) and a number of other instructors. In 1989, whilst a student at University, Des established a dojo in St Lucia and Kenmore in Brisbane.
After graduating from the University of Queensland in 1991, Des spent 2 years in Japan as a student of So-Shihan Masayuki Kukan Hisataka, Hanshi 9th Dan, at the So-Hombu Dojo of Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo, and also assisted So-Shihan Hisataka in a seminar tour of Europe, and was graded to 3rd Dan at the end of that time.
Des was graded to 4th Dan in 2004, and publicly opened the Kengokan Dojo in 2005.
In 2005 and 2006, Des trained at the dojo of Hanshi Shunji Watanabe of Shorinjiryu Kenyukai Watanabe Ha Karate and a direct successor to the founder of Shorinjiryu Kenkokan, Shinan Kori Hisataka. In 2007, Australian Shorinjiryu Karatedo became a part of the Shorinjiryu Kenyukai Watanabe Ha World Federation. The Kengokan Dojo now teaches the original Shorinjiryu as envisaged by the founder and further developed by Hanshi Watanabe.
Summary of Qualifications and Positions
- 5th Dan, Shorinjiryu Kenyukai Watanabe-Ha World Federation
- 5th Dan Renshi, Shorinjiryu Shinzen Kyokai
- Certified Kettlebell Instructor
- First Aid and CPR instructor.
- Komon (advisor) to the chief instructors of Shorinjiryu Kenyukai Watanabe Ha Karate Australia
- President of the Australian Shorinjiryu Karatedo Assocation (2005-present)
- Member of the National Technical Committee of the Australian Koshiki Association (2005-2007).
- Technical advisor to the International Budo Institute
- Proud member of the International Ryukyu Karatejutsu Research Society.
- Host & Producer of The Applied Karate Show podcast.
