About the Ryukyu Bujutsu Kenkyu Doyukai (RBKD)
The Ryukyu Bujutsu Kenkyu Doyukai (Society for the Study of Okinawan Martial Arts) is an international organization founded in 1985 by Master Chogi Kishaba in Okinawa and Shihan Toshihiro Oshiro in the United States for the purpose of studying and developing traditional Okinawan karate and kobujutsu technique.
The technical foundation of the RBKD is Yamanni Chinen-ryu, an Okinawan bo style commonly called Yamanni-ryu or Yamane-ryu.
As a lesser-known and relatively unmodernized style, Yamanni-ryu is an excellent source of insight into the original movements and techniques of
both armed and empty-hand Okinawan martial arts.
While Yamanni-ryu bo is the heart of the RBKD curriculum, sai is also practiced extensively in order to learn how to apply Yamanni-ryu technique to short weapons. The fundamentals that work for bo and sai can also be used with other traditional Okinawan weapons such as such as eku, tunfa, and nunchaku.
All RBKD member schools include Yamanni-ryu kobujutsu in their curriculum, typically alongside one or more empty-hand styles of martial arts. The RBKD philosophy is that careful study and practice of Yamanni-ryu can expand and enrich the student's understanding of any martial art, especially those with roots in Okinawan karate.
Today the RBKD includes active member dojos around the world, including in the United State, Europe, and Japan. Shihan Oshiro teaches many seminars each year around the world.
Membership
For information about RBKD membership, please contact us.
