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Yamanni-ryu is the study of Okinawa weaponry, with emphasis on the techniques of the bo staff.
As with all martial arts in Okinawa and Japan, historical accounts of Ya-manni-ryu are conflicting and vague due to the secretiveness of the training.
One tradition maintains that To-de Sakugawa studied the art of bo-jutsu in China and brought it to Okinawa where he lived in the village of Shuri dur-ing the 1700’s. He passed his knowledge on to the Chinen family who de-veloped their own unique flavor. Sanda Chinen was also known as Yamanni and eventually the style became known as Yamanni Chinen-Ryu.
Sanda Chinen continued to pass the style on through his family. His grandson, Masami Chinen was the last member of the Chinen family to teach this martial art. The family passed the title of Soke (Master) to his student, Chogi Kishaba, who began training with him as a teenager and remained with him as a student until his death. Soke Kishaba hold the Japanese copyright to the system.
Yamanni-ryu nearly died out. Few people trained in the style or even heard of it until two of Soke Kishaba’s students, Toshihiro Oshiro and Kiyoshi Nishime began teaching it in the United States in the mid 1980’s. Do to their efforts, thousands of students around the world have now trained in Yamanni and are helping this system live on.
What makes Yamanni-ryu unique from most Okinawan weapon systems is that other styles were developed for the peasant class who used farm implements for basic self-defense while Yamanni-ryu was developed by the warrior class. One notable difference is that it is a fluid style where the feet and weapon remain in near constant motion.
Nishime Family Karate offers regular classes in the practice of Yamanni-ryu. Shihan Kiyoshi Nishime and Sensei Jason Nishime are also available to teach workshops. They have traveled throughout the United States and to Germany, South Africa, Israel, Egypt, Italy, and the Czech Republic.
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