Okinawan Ryuei-ryu Karate

[Shojiko]

Does anyone have any experience with this system? I was made aware there are some dojos near my city that teach this style. It almost reminds me Shito Ryu with palm strikes, I also see they participate in sports karate which I didnt think Okinawan styles werent really into competition.

[sensei8]

Sorry, I've no experience with the style in question.

As a Okinawan MAist, my Sensei and his Sensei didn't approve of tournaments whatsoever. However, what one does away from their watchful eyes, many of use participated on the weekends as much as we could. When my Sensei got wind of this, he wasn't happy but in time he allowed us just as long as we don't talk about it and as long as our techniques weren't becoming sour and as long as we don't bring that junk into our Kumite.

[Wado Heretic]

To answer the question of experience with the system my answer must be only a little, and even then, by observation of demonstrations rather than training on the dojo floor. The formal, official history is that Ryūei-ryū is the heterodox, family system of the Nakaima family. Its reported history begins with Nakaima Norisato who studied martial arts for seven years in China under Ryu Ryu Ko. After completing his studies, but before returning to Okinawa in the 1870s, it is stated that Norisato also spent time collecting weapons, scrolls, and experiences across the Fujian, Canton, and Beijing areas. Norisato passed his knowledge onto his son Kenchu, who in turn passed these teachings onto his son Kenko.

Nakaima Kenko is the one who decided to teach his family’s knowledge to the public, and he did this in 1971 when he began teaching 20 teachers at the school where he was a janitor. Kenko appears to have in fact named the system out of a need to do so when he made it public.

My own teacher was somewhat derisive of this fact. When I brought up Ryūei-ryū once he did remark with veiled critique: “One week he was a janitor, now he is a karate teacher.”

That aside, we can study the kata of the system to determine the credibility of the official history:

• Niseishi/Nijushiho

• Sanseiryu

• Seisan

• Pāchū

• Heikū

• Paikū

• Ānan

• Ohan

Niseishi as a kata was also taught by Aragaki Seisho, another student of Ryu Ryu Ko. It is also found in Okinawa Kempo lineages originating with Sakiyama Kitoku, another student of Ryu Ryu Ko. All these versions of the kata are very similar except for some key differences in embusen. However, the general order and selection of techniques are similar. Interestingly, Chito-Ryu, a system greatly influenced by Aragaki as he was Chitose’s first teacher, teaches Niseishi as its second traditional kata after Seisan and Chitose’s various Kihon no Kata. In Okinawa Kempo it is part of the core 12 kata alongside the Pinangata, Naihanchigata, Seisan, Passai, and Kusanku. Similarly, Ryuei-Ryu appears to teach it as their first kata period. In Shi’to-Ryu it is usually the first Aragaki Kata learnt too. This suggests Niseishi may have been taught as a rudimentary kata by Ryu Ryu Ko as Okinawa Kempo, Chito-Ryu, Shi’to-Ryu, and Ryuei-Ryu all treat it as such. However, Niseishi more broadly speaking in Okinawan karate can almost always be traced back to Aragaki. Ryuei-Ryu and Okinawa Kempo are outliers, and other students of Ryu Ryu Ko do not appear to have included it in their approaches.

Sanseiryu exists in Shi’to-ryu, Goju-Ryu and To’on-Ryu, and it is highly probable if unarguable that it was taught by Higoanna Kanryo, another student of Ryu Ryu Ko. I have not had the opportunity to see the To’on-Ryu version, and the Goju-Ryu and Shi’to-Ryu versions are virtually identical, but the Ryuei-Ryu version is very much like the Goju-Ryu and Shi’to-Ryu versions. Interestingly, however, I have found no evidence of a Senseiryu attributed to Aragaki, nor does it appear to be practiced in Okinawa Kempo.

A version of Seisan exists in every system claiming a lineage from Ryu Ryu Ko via an Okinawan Student. The Ryuei-Ryu version is almost identical to the Goju-Ryu and Shi’to-Ryu versions, and it follows the Chinese Template also found in the To’on-Ryu and Uechi-Ryu versions.

Based on these three kata being largely common to proclaimed students of Ryu Ryu Ko we can conclude that Nakaima Norisato was likely a student of Ryu Ryu Ko. A problem is that Nakaima Kenko would not have had to leave Okinawa to learn these kata. He could have learnt Senseiryu and Seisan from studying Goju-Ryu, and the Ryuei-Ryu versions bear a striking resemblance to the Goju-Ryu versions as they include the characteristic Kansetsu Geri. Said Kansetsu Geri does not exist in other versions of Seisan Iam aware of, and as mentioned Sanseiryu appears essentially unique to Goju-Ryu outside of Ryuei-Ryu. Niseishi could easily have been learnt from any number of systems which practice it on Okinawa. These kata are also learnt relatively early, around Sankyu-Ikkyu/brown belt level, in most systems they are studied in. Thus, accessible to a relative novice. However, this is being a little conspiratorial minded, rather than sceptical, so I would prefer to give the benefit of the doubt that the similarities of the kata, and the common cause of the same kata being practiced, is that they indeed come from Ryu Ryu Ko.

The rest of the kata, however, do present another problem. They exist nowhere else outside of Ryuei-Ryu in the canon of Okinawan Karate Kata. The versions found in Shi’to-Ryu come from Ryuei-Ryu, and differ purely from adaptations for competition, and differences in fundamental principles leading to different execution of techniques. If we accept the official history, these kata are either part of the Nakaima family tradition that existed before Norisato, or Norisato developed them from his studies in China which were apart from his training with Ryu Ryu Ko. The problem is that Ockham’s razor invites another explanation that Nakaima Kenko has simply made them up. I personally do not think they look very Chinese. Most Chinese influenced kata tend to lack symmetry, use predominantly open hands, and flow between movements. However, the performances of said kata I have seen have largely been by WKF competitors during competition. Thus, could be modified from the original way to do them into a way preferred by judges. Plus, we do have other family traditions from Okinawa such as the aforementioned Kingai-Ryu, Kojo-Ryu, and Motobu UdunDi which have kata from outside the broader Okinawan Kata traditions of Shuri, Naha, and Tomari Te.

With regards to competition involvement and success it is predominantly by the efforts and success of Sakumoto Tsuguo. He is a three-time world champion in kata, a two-time winner of the World Games, and a two-time winner of the World Cup. He made his mark in 1987 when he performed Anan, a kata relatively unknown to anyone outside of Ryuei-Ryu, and introduced the Ryuei-Ryu kata to the world. Anan, Pechu, Paiku, Heiku, and Ohan have also since become popular competition Kata. It has been said that Nakaima Kenko disliked Sport Karate, and that he believed karate as Martial Art should be used for building one’s character. However, Sakumoto and other younger masters of the style which have outlived the late Nakaima, see the sport as an excellent tool for promoting karate and getting people interested in it. Sakumoto is one of the most sort out competition coaches in the world and has his hand in training most of Japan’s international competitors. His influence is essentially the answer to your question.

Another aside I heard from my teacher is that Sakumoto was a gymnast, and despite Nakaima’s apparent protestations, the word through the grapevine is that Sakumoto was permitted to compete because of his athletic ability, and Nakaima chose him specifically. This, I consider wholly hear say, but Ryuei-Ryu does have a mixed reputation.

With regards to Okinawan attitudes to Sport Karate there are trends. Which is to say, many older teachers share Nakaima Kenko’s thoughts, which is that karate is Budo, and should be trained to build character, and trained in a manner fitting actual fighting skills. However, the form this should take is also diverse. Some that this should be done by strict adherence to the hard training of the past, and others that tradition should be respected but fighting skills explored and evolved through kumite. You have some who live on the line, or in the middle ground, that Karate can be a life-time practice, but there is no harm in practicing the sport because karate as a sport and karate as budo are two different things and depending on where you are in life, you will want different things. Also, the pragmatic reasoning that the sport does attract people to Karate, and gives people goals in the short term, and this helps people get started. Finally, you do have people who are very much of the view that Karate is basically a sport and should be practiced as one. The third view is very much a minority in my experience, the second the majority when speaking to most teachers, and the first a handful of the older generation.

I hope this has been of help.

[sensei8]

To answer the question of experience with the system my answer must be only a little, and even then, by observation of demonstrations rather than training on the dojo floor. The formal, official history is that Ryūei-ryū is the heterodox, family system of the Nakaima family. Its reported history begins with Nakaima Norisato who studied martial arts for seven years in China under Ryu Ryu Ko. After completing his studies, but before returning to Okinawa in the 1870s, it is stated that Norisato also spent time collecting weapons, scrolls, and experiences across the Fujian, Canton, and Beijing areas. Norisato passed his knowledge onto his son Kenchu, who in turn passed these teachings onto his son Kenko.

Nakaima Kenko is the one who decided to teach his family’s knowledge to the public, and he did this in 1971 when he began teaching 20 teachers at the school where he was a janitor. Kenko appears to have in fact named the system out of a need to do so when he made it public.

My own teacher was somewhat derisive of this fact. When I brought up Ryūei-ryū once he did remark with veiled critique: “One week he was a janitor, now he is a karate teacher.”

That aside, we can study the kata of the system to determine the credibility of the official history:

• Niseishi/Nijushiho

• Sanseiryu

• Seisan

• Pāchū

• Heikū

• Paikū

• Ānan

• Ohan

Niseishi as a kata was also taught by Aragaki Seisho, another student of Ryu Ryu Ko. It is also found in Okinawa Kempo lineages originating with Sakiyama Kitoku, another student of Ryu Ryu Ko. All these versions of the kata are very similar except for some key differences in embusen. However, the general order and selection of techniques are similar. Interestingly, Chito-Ryu, a system greatly influenced by Aragaki as he was Chitose’s first teacher, teaches Niseishi as its second traditional kata after Seisan and Chitose’s various Kihon no Kata. In Okinawa Kempo it is part of the core 12 kata alongside the Pinangata, Naihanchigata, Seisan, Passai, and Kusanku. Similarly, Ryuei-Ryu appears to teach it as their first kata period. In Shi’to-Ryu it is usually the first Aragaki Kata learnt too. This suggests Niseishi may have been taught as a rudimentary kata by Ryu Ryu Ko as Okinawa Kempo, Chito-Ryu, Shi’to-Ryu, and Ryuei-Ryu all treat it as such. However, Niseishi more broadly speaking in Okinawan karate can almost always be traced back to Aragaki. Ryuei-Ryu and Okinawa Kempo are outliers, and other students of Ryu Ryu Ko do not appear to have included it in their approaches.

Sanseiryu exists in Shi’to-ryu, Goju-Ryu and To’on-Ryu, and it is highly probable if unarguable that it was taught by Higoanna Kanryo, another student of Ryu Ryu Ko. I have not had the opportunity to see the To’on-Ryu version, and the Goju-Ryu and Shi’to-Ryu versions are virtually identical, but the Ryuei-Ryu version is very much like the Goju-Ryu and Shi’to-Ryu versions. Interestingly, however, I have found no evidence of a Senseiryu attributed to Aragaki, nor does it appear to be practiced in Okinawa Kempo.

A version of Seisan exists in every system claiming a lineage from Ryu Ryu Ko via an Okinawan Student. The Ryuei-Ryu version is almost identical to the Goju-Ryu and Shi’to-Ryu versions, and it follows the Chinese Template also found in the To’on-Ryu and Uechi-Ryu versions.

Based on these three kata being largely common to proclaimed students of Ryu Ryu Ko we can conclude that Nakaima Norisato was likely a student of Ryu Ryu Ko. A problem is that Nakaima Kenko would not have had to leave Okinawa to learn these kata. He could have learnt Senseiryu and Seisan from studying Goju-Ryu, and the Ryuei-Ryu versions bear a striking resemblance to the Goju-Ryu versions as they include the characteristic Kansetsu Geri. Said Kansetsu Geri does not exist in other versions of Seisan Iam aware of, and as mentioned Sanseiryu appears essentially unique to Goju-Ryu outside of Ryuei-Ryu. Niseishi could easily have been learnt from any number of systems which practice it on Okinawa. These kata are also learnt relatively early, around Sankyu-Ikkyu/brown belt level, in most systems they are studied in. Thus, accessible to a relative novice. However, this is being a little conspiratorial minded, rather than sceptical, so I would prefer to give the benefit of the doubt that the similarities of the kata, and the common cause of the same kata being practiced, is that they indeed come from Ryu Ryu Ko.

The rest of the kata, however, do present another problem. They exist nowhere else outside of Ryuei-Ryu in the canon of Okinawan Karate Kata. The versions found in Shi’to-Ryu come from Ryuei-Ryu, and differ purely from adaptations for competition, and differences in fundamental principles leading to different execution of techniques. If we accept the official history, these kata are either part of the Nakaima family tradition that existed before Norisato, or Norisato developed them from his studies in China which were apart from his training with Ryu Ryu Ko. The problem is that Ockham’s razor invites another explanation that Nakaima Kenko has simply made them up. I personally do not think they look very Chinese. Most Chinese influenced kata tend to lack symmetry, use predominantly open hands, and flow between movements. However, the performances of said kata I have seen have largely been by WKF competitors during competition. Thus, could be modified from the original way to do them into a way preferred by judges. Plus, we do have other family traditions from Okinawa such as the aforementioned Kingai-Ryu, Kojo-Ryu, and Motobu UdunDi which have kata from outside the broader Okinawan Kata traditions of Shuri, Naha, and Tomari Te.

With regards to competition involvement and success it is predominantly by the efforts and success of Sakumoto Tsuguo. He is a three-time world champion in kata, a two-time winner of the World Games, and a two-time winner of the World Cup. He made his mark in 1987 when he performed Anan, a kata relatively unknown to anyone outside of Ryuei-Ryu, and introduced the Ryuei-Ryu kata to the world. Anan, Pechu, Paiku, Heiku, and Ohan have also since become popular competition Kata. It has been said that Nakaima Kenko disliked Sport Karate, and that he believed karate as Martial Art should be used for building one’s character. However, Sakumoto and other younger masters of the style which have outlived the late Nakaima, see the sport as an excellent tool for promoting karate and getting people interested in it. Sakumoto is one of the most sort out competition coaches in the world and has his hand in training most of Japan’s international competitors. His influence is essentially the answer to your question.

Another aside I heard from my teacher is that Sakumoto was a gymnast, and despite Nakaima’s apparent protestations, the word through the grapevine is that Sakumoto was permitted to compete because of his athletic ability, and Nakaima chose him specifically. This, I consider wholly hear say, but Ryuei-Ryu does have a mixed reputation.

With regards to Okinawan attitudes to Sport Karate there are trends. Which is to say, many older teachers share Nakaima Kenko’s thoughts, which is that karate is Budo, and should be trained to build character, and trained in a manner fitting actual fighting skills. However, the form this should take is also diverse. Some that this should be done by strict adherence to the hard training of the past, and others that tradition should be respected but fighting skills explored and evolved through kumite. You have some who live on the line, or in the middle ground, that Karate can be a life-time practice, but there is no harm in practicing the sport because karate as a sport and karate as budo are two different things and depending on where you are in life, you will want different things. Also, the pragmatic reasoning that the sport does attract people to Karate, and gives people goals in the short term, and this helps people get started. Finally, you do have people who are very much of the view that Karate is basically a sport and should be practiced as one. The third view is very much a minority in my experience, the second the majority when speaking to most teachers, and the first a handful of the older generation.

I hope this has been of help.

Solid post, Wado Heretic; very informative. Thank you for sharing.

[Shojiko]

fantastic post with much of information! Undoubtedly a rabbit hole worth exploring with a few inquiries. I'm limited to what I've seen on YouTube, but they certainly appear to be of a high caliber by WKF standards. From the looks of it, Najaima Kenko is a true Mr. Miyagi narrative..

[bushido_man96]

Wado Heretic, you should put together a binder of all this history! I'd take a copy of it!

[sensei8]

Wado Heretic, you should put together a binder of all this history! I'd take a copy of it!

Absolutely!! Information like what you provide is priceless.