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View Full Version : Icho Yama Ryu & Icho ryu AJJ/ Bernie Lau



Jason Carrier
21st June 2002, 15:36
I am trying to track down other people who train in Icho Yama Ryu Aiki Jujutsu. I travel allot and aways like to work out, I spend allot of time looking for other people who do the same thing. This Art is fairly new so that are sometimes hard to come by. So I end up working out in Judo dojo's to Aikido. If you have studied or still study I would like to know.

Jason

Yamantaka
21st June 2002, 22:27
Originally posted by Jason Carrier
I am trying to track down other people who train in Icho Yama Ryu Aiki Jujutsu. I travel allot and aways like to work out, I spend allot of time looking for other people who do the same thing. This Art is fairly new so that are sometimes hard to come by. So I end up working out in Judo dojo's to Aikido. If you have studied or still study I would like to know.
Jason

YAMANTAKA : This art is not only new but reasonably unknown in the Aikijujutsu community and all around. Could you give us some information (founder, roots, location of Hombu dojo, ...) ?
Otherwise, it will be difficult to help you
Best

Neil Yamamoto
21st June 2002, 23:09
Icho Ryu by any other name... It's Bernie Lau's stuff guys. See http://ejmas.com/jcs/jcsart_svinth_1101.htm for all things Bernie.

Icho Yama Ryu is the name used on the tape released by Bernie Lau in conjunction with Roy Goldberg and Miguel Ibarra. Several people still refer to it as Icho Yama Ryu, but none of my underwear drawer liner papers refers to it as Icho Yama Ryu.

The name was more for the tape since it had Bernie's ICHO ryu and what Roy and Miguel were calling their school at the time "YAMA bushi dojo", so combined, it's ICHO YAMA Ryu.

When this came up, I asked Bernie if this meant I had to pay for new certificates and did I have to start over in training. That got me a very dirty look but a good laugh from Roy and Miguel. The tape btw, was filmed in Seattle at what was the Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu dojo in Seattle's Belltown area where I rented dojo space for my own practice. The local drunks were really interested and asked for money since they thought we were a Hollywood film crew. They left rapidly when I pulled out the guns and knives we used in filming.

I believe it's David Lamond and Karen Panker who teach it on the east coast and they are part of the Danzan Ryu. Bernie is good friends with Wally and Bernice Jay.

While the name was more of a marketing gimmick, calling it 'Icho Yama' or 'Icho' alone is simply a matter of when someone studied the art and the name they choose to use. Me, I go by Icho Ryu when I refer to it. When Bernie told me the name he had chosen, I asked if he was naming it after his dog, also named Icho. Guess what that got me in class.

Yes, there are some people still active teaching, Sam Lovell, Gene Tucker, Scott Cornelison, in N. California, a handful of people up here in Seattle and Tacoma like Wayne Brannon, Mike Bissonette, and Rich Noble. I practice but don't teach publicly much. Bernie still teaches seminars and I'm his agent for setting those up and end up as uke some of the time on these. Contact me if you have any questions I can ignore, er, I mean answer.

There is no Icho ryu here. Move along, move along.

Yamantaka
22nd June 2002, 01:26
Originally posted by Neil Yamamoto
Icho Ryu by any other name... It's Bernie Lau's stuff guys. See http://ejmas.com/jcs/jcsart_svinth_1101.htm for all things Bernie.

YAMANTAKA : Nothing like a well-informed man...;)
Thanks, Neil San, for teaching us.
Best regards

Walker
22nd June 2002, 03:15
but, but... Neil you told me the full true name was Ichy and Scratchy Twisty Stinky Pinky ryu.
Now I’m confused. :confused:

Neil Yamamoto
22nd June 2002, 05:52
No, no, Doug, you don't listen.

Sosuishitsu ryu is Scratchy and Itchy Ryu.

Icho Ryu is the one with the Ginko leaf mon representing the three spirits of Icho ryu - The ganga, the paper, and the roach clip.

But the "Twisty Pinky" stuff is right. The okuden teachs the advanced "pull my finger" techniques which are related very closely to the Yabe Ryu Stinky Thumb techniques.

CEB
24th June 2002, 19:09
Cool Movie. There are some scarry looking bad guys armed with shotguns knives and chains and stuff at the beginning of Explosive AikiJujutsu.

Neil-San I saw on a tape where Mr. Lau demonstrates the origin of Aikido technique and how they related to sword technique and samurai arresting techniques. Were his uke in that film? Just wanting to put a name to the face.

Take care.

Neil Yamamoto
24th June 2002, 22:09
I'm easy to spot, I believe I'm the only Asian in any of the tapes. That's me circa the late 1980's. It's kind of surprising how many people remember or recognize me from the tapes. :cool:

jzimba1
25th June 2002, 13:10
There was a yahoo martial arts page which listed Mr. Lamond's group as teaching Icho Yama Ryu. By his words I'm given to understand he now teaches a fair mix of things, butis heavily influenced by what Mr. Goldberg et al teach his large groups.
Incidentally, Dave sounds like a really nice guy I've gotta slog my way down to Quantico one of these days and visit.
J
Originally posted by Yamantaka


YAMANTAKA : This art is not only new but reasonably unknown in the Aikijujutsu community and all around. Could you give us some information (founder, roots, location of Hombu dojo, ...) ?
Otherwise, it will be difficult to help you
Best

Carlos Estrella
9th July 2002, 15:09
Sensei Dave is a great guy and is the person who introduced me to the Aiki Arts back in '90 while a Marine at Quantico. Haven't seen him in a while, but if he's still practicing, he's worth visiting!