There is some confusion with the understanding of the term Motobu Ryu in the Russian-speaking space. This is due to the fact that under the name Motobu ryu , people often understand two different styles. One of them is called Motobu Kempo, or rather “Nihon den ryu heiho Motobu Kempo”, and the other is called Motobu udundi “Ryukyu oki hidden Motobu udundi”.
These two different schools of Motobu Ryu have a common source – the Motobu family, a brief history of which can be read below.
Today, both directions of Motobu Ryu are studied under the guidance of one master Soke Motobu Chosei – the son of the legendary master Motobu Choki, from whom he inherited kempo, and the nephew of the famous Okinawan master Motobu Choyu, from whom, through his student Uehara Seikichi, he inherited udundi.
Very roughly dividing Motobu Ryu into two directions, we can say that there is a hard school of Motobu Ryu – this is Kempo and a softer version called udundi. The name Motobu Ryu itself translates as the school of the Motobu family and this is true for both directions.
