Ryukyu Kempo Karate is a classical Okinawan Martial Art, utilizing a variety of methods of life protection techniques derived from Karate and Kobudo Kata, honed in Keiko and Kumite.
Our three main founders were Oyata Seiyu, who coined the term, Nakamura Shigeru, who taught Okinawa Kempo, and Uehara Seikichi, who taught the Kobudo and joint locking techniques.
1894-1970
1904-2004
1928-2012
Oyata Seiyu was the founder of Ryukyu Kempo or Ryute Karate. He learned from both Nakamura Shigeru and Uehara Seikichi, as well as trained with many other notable Karateka in Okinawa after World War 2. In the 1970s, he immigrated to the United States and started teaching and developing Ryukyu Kempo. Along with the Okinawa Kempo kata, Kobudo, and Bogu Kumite he learned from Nakamura Sensei and joint locking techniques and weapons concepts he learn for Uehara Sensei, he taught specifically Karate for self-protection.
Most notably, he was focused on teaching how bunkai learned though Kata could be practically applied in a life or death situation. He integrated concepts such atemi-jutsu, tuite-jutsu, and kyusho-jutsu in teaching self-protection.
Jonathan Ebersole has over 20 years of experience training and teaching Ryukyu Kempo karate.
His journey began in junior high school, starting Karate in the beginning of 2001. Throughout his junior high and high school years, he learned and honed the fundamentals of Okinawan Karate, as well as experience with Filipino Arnis and various other Japanese Kobudo systems. When he began university, he focused his efforts fully on Ryukyu Kempo karate, traveling around the United States to train with various senior teachers in the art. While studying at university, he founded the university's Karate club and taught while he was a student.
In 2013, he moved to the Amami islands to begin a career in English teaching. With a close proximity to Okinawa, he had many opportunities to train in Okinawa with several instructors, as well as deepen his understanding of Okinawan culture, history, and language.
Now living in Gifu prefecture, he wishes to pass on what he knows and continue the lineage of Ryukyu Kempo through online and personal courses.