Ryà «kyà « Kempo (çÂÂçÂÂæ³æ³Â) sometimes spelled Ryà «kyà « Kenpà  is a generic term often used to describe all forms of karate from the Ryukyu Islands, and more specifically to refer to the particular styles associated with Taika Seiyu Oyata and George Dillman. Whereas, Kenpà  is associated with the spelling of Master Nakamura's Okinawan Kenpà Â, Seikichi Odo's Ryà «kyà « Hon Kenpà Â, and D'veed Natan's Ryukyu Kenpo Kobujutsu. Oyata is credited with being the originator of the American use of the terms Ryukyu Kempo, tuite-jutsu and kyusho-jutsu. The name Ryà «kyà « Kempo was adopted by a prominent martial arts personality, George Dillman, who taught his own version of OyataâÂÂs style and promoted it heavily through seminars and publications. This further prompted Oyata to change the name to Ryà «-te and to change the curriculum of what he was teaching to reflect his own system of "Life Protection". The Ryà «-te organization is international and includes a selection of long-time students known as "Oyata Shin Shu Ho," whom he considers the heirs of his art.
OyataâÂÂs Ryà «kyà « Kempo teaches a style of close-in striking and blocking as well as his own creations of a set of grappling, locking, and escape techniques (tuite-jutsu) and of advanced striking techniques (kyusho-jutsu). There are twelve open-hand kata and a number of traditional Okinawan kobudà  weapons including the bà Â, chizikunbo, eku, jà Â, kama, sai, tanbo, tonfa, manji-sai, and nunti-bo. Practitioners also train in Bogu Kumite, a style of competition in protective armor initiated by Oyata and his instructor Shigeru Nakamura.
Several branches of Ryà «kyà « Kempo have developed. These organizations are mostly headed by members of the former Zenkoku Ryà «kyà « Kempo Karate Kobudo Rengo Kai. Their separate associations are loosely affiliated. They all have curricula based on that of the late Taika Seiyu Oyata. Seikichi Odo, heir to one of Oyata's instructors, Shigeru Nakamura, had his own organization that taught Okinawan Kenpà Â. Odo, at the request of Shigeru Nakamura's son, Taketo Nakamura changed the organizational name by changing the name to Ryà «kyà « Hon Kenpà  Kobujutsu so as to differentiate the system he was teaching from that of Taketo Nakamura's organization. Taketo Nakamura's son, Yasushi Nakamura is the current Dojo-cho and heir to Nakamura's karate and kobudo lineage that traces Ryukyu Ti roots to the late 15th century in Okinawa. Yasushi Nakamura still maintains practice at the original Nakamura dojo, in Nago, Okinawa. Odo died without naming a successor, his son Susamo has taken the reins; and his organization, the Ryà «kyà « Hon Kenpà  Kobujutsu Federation continues to exist. Another Oyata-based branch is located in Israel. The Ryà «kyà « Kenpà  Kobujutsu Kai is headquartered in Jerusalem and headed by Jon D'veed Natan. It differs from the mainstream Oyata groups in that it includes a few of Seikichi Odo's Kenpà  and Kobujutsu kata, a few internal system kata, and a defense curriculum not based on Oyata's civilian teachings. Bogu Kumite is heavily emphasized.
These twelve kata were to be taught to those in Nakamura's association; so everyone could compete equally in the kata divisions at tournaments. It did not preclude learning system specific kata in the individual dojo. Bogu Kumite, likewise, afforded equal opportunity for all at the tournaments.
Dillman's version of the art, which he calls Ryà «kyà « kempo tomari-te, has a large international following. The art is known for its emphasis on light-touch or no-touch pressure-point knock-out.
George Dillman continues to hold training camps in Deer Lake PA at the former Muhammad Ali training Camp, study under 10th degree black belts from Okinawa, give training seminars all over the world, and oversee Dillman Karate International consisting of over 85 schools worldwide.