Yamanni ryu

Yamanni-ryū

Yamanni-ryū patch
Also known as	Yamanni-Chinen-ryu, Yamane Ryu
Focus	Okinawan kobudō and notably Bōjutsu
Country of origin	Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
Creator	Masami Chinen
Famous practitioners	Chogi Kishaba, Toshihiro Oshiro, George Donahue

Yamanni-ryū (山根流) (also Yamanni-Chinen-ryū and Yamane Ryu) is a form of Okinawan kobudō whose main weapon is the bo, a non-tapered, cylindrical staff. The smaller buki, such as sai, tunfa (or tonfa), nunchaku, and kama (weapon) are studied as secondary weapons.

Lineage

Tradition maintains that Sakugawa SATUNUSHI, entrusted with the protection of prominent Ryūkyū families, had studied the art in China.^[1] Later he lived in Akata village in Shuri, Okinawa.^[1] Sakugawa developed the style in the late 18th century. He passed it on to the Chinen family, beginning with Chinen Umikana. Sanda Chinen (1842–1925), also known as Yamani USUMEI and Yamane TANMEI, introduced the "bouncing" motion of the staff which is the style's hallmark.^[2] His grandson, Masami Chinen, named the style after him.^[2]

Ryūkyū Bujutsu Kenkyu Doyukai

In 1979 Chogi Kishaba, a student of Masami Chinen,^[2] sent his student, Toshihiro Oshiro, to the United States. In 1985 they founded the Ryūkyū Bujutsu Kenkyu Doyukai or RBKD (Association for the Study and Research of Okinawan Martial Arts) for the purpose of bringing Yamanni-ryū to the West. Kishaba is the head of the RBKD. Shihan Oshiro (8th dan, Yamanni-ryū; 9th dan, Shōrin-ryū) is the Chief Instructor of RBKD USA and its West Coast Director. The Midwest Director is Kiyoshi Nishime. Oshiro gives seminars in Yamanni-ryū in the U.S. and around the world.

The Yamanni-ryū patch is based on an Okinawan mon. It is similar to the mon of the Takeda clan.

Yammani-ryū is a fluid style that is frequently taught to advanced students. Occasionally it is taught as a supplementary style to other Okinawan kobudō, such Kenshin-ryū. Students of Shotokan and Shito-ryū karate will frequently learn Yammani-ryū kobudō, either through their own sensei or via seminars held by Shihan Oshiro both at his home dojo and abroad.

Kata

Introductory:
Donyukon Ich^[3]
Donyukon Ni^[4]

Beginner:
Choun No Kun Sho^[5]
Choun No Kun Dai

Novice:
Shuji no Kun Sho
Shuji no Kun Dai

Intermediate:
Ryubi no Kun
Sakagawa No Kun^[6][7]

Advanced:
Shirataru no Kun
Tomari Shirataru no Kun^[8]
Yunigawa no Kun / Yonegawa no Kun / Hidari Bo
Shinakachi no Kun / Sunakake no Kun
Chikin Bo / Tsuken Bo

See also

• Bōjutsu
• Okinawan weapon

References

External links

• Shihan Oshiro's Dojo
• Directory of RBKD dojos
• The Way of Yamanni-ryu