Ryūkyū Kempo

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Ryūkyū Kempo (琉球拳法) is a broad term for karate from the Ryukyu Islands, most closely tied to Taika Seiyu Oyata and George Dillman. By contrast, kenpō usually refers to other Okinawan systems such as Nakamura’s Okinawan Kenpō, Seikichi Odo’s Ryūkyū Hon Kenpō Kobujutsu, and D’veed Natan’s Ryukyu Kenpo Kobujutsu.

Taika Seiyu Oyata helped popularize Ryūkyū Kempo in America, along with tuite-jutsu (joint locking) and kyusho-jutsu (pressure-point techniques). Dillman adopted the name Ryūkyū Kempo and taught his own version of Oyata’s style, promoting it through seminars and writings. In response, Oyata renamed his system Ryū-te and focused on a life-protection approach. The Ryū-te organization is international and includes longtime students known as Oyata Shin Shu Ho as heirs.

The teaching covers close-in striking and blocking, plus grappling, escapes, and advanced striking techniques. It includes twelve open-hand kata and a range of traditional Okinawan kobudō weapons such as the bō, chizikunbo, eku, jō, kama, sai, tanbo, tonfa, manji-sai, and nunti-bo, along with a Bogu Kumite protective-gear competition started by Oyata and Shigeru Nakamura.

Several branches emerged. Many groups follow Oyata’s curriculum and trace back to the former Zenkoku Ryūkyū Kempo Karate Kobudo Rengo Kai. Seikichi Odo, who was connected to Nakamura, led his own Kenpō organization; after Taketo Nakamura’s son Yasushi Nakamura became head of Nakamura’s dojo in Nago, Okinawa, Odo’s organization continued under his son Susamo in the Ryūkyū Hon Kenpō Kobujutsu Federation.

Another Oyata-based branch operates in Israel—Ryūkyū Kenpō Kobujutsu Kai in Jerusalem, led by Jon D’veed Natan. It incorporates some of Odo’s kata and a different defense program, with a strong emphasis on Bogu Kumite.

Dillman’s version, called Ryūkyū kempo tomari-te, has a sizable international following. It emphasizes light-touch or no-touch pressure-point knockouts. Dillman runs training camps in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania, learns from Okinawan 10th-degree black belts, and leads Dillman Karate International, with more than 85 schools worldwide.