Kenukan Academy has enjoyed a wonderful 46 year history with the Bushidokan® Style.  In 1973, Kenukan Academy Founder, Sensei Bob Boggs (and his students), fought in Max Muller’s Jayhawk Bare-Knuckle Full-Contact Karate Tournament held in Lawrence, KS.  At that particular event, the skill, toughness, and fighting spirt of Kenukan’s fighters caught the eye of Bushidokan Founder, Sensei Jim Harrison.  After the tournament, Jim Harrison gave a note to one of Kenukan’s students for Sensei Boggs to contact him.  When Sensei Boggs met Sensei Harrison at his Bushidokan Dojo in Mission, KS, he was extremely honored to be asked if he and his students would start working out at Bushidokan.  Thus, Sensei Boggs was one of only two “outside” individuals allowed to wear their Black Belts at Jim Harrison’s Kansas City Bushidokan Dojos (the other individual being Max Muller).

 

Later in 1973, Sensei Harrison hosted a Full-Contact Knock-Out Tournament at his Raytown, MO, Bushidokan Dojo.  When Sensei Harrison asked if Sensei Boggs and his students would like to participate, he enthusiastically responded, “Absolutely”!  At that event, Sensei Boggs drew one of Roger Carpenter’s tough Black Belts - 6’3’’ Joe Aser.  Within seconds, Sensei Boggs knocked him out…actually, through the wall!  Assuming that would mean the end of the match, Sensei Boggs sat in Seiza (formal sitting) and awaited Sensei Harrison’s decision.  To Sensei Boggs’ surprise, Sensei Harrison woke Joe up, announced “one point” for the knock-out, and said, “Hajime!” (Japanese for “Begin”).  The rest of the match involved close in-fighting and grappling on the parquet wood floor.  At the conclusion of the tournament, Sensei Harrison declared that Bushidokan now had a “Brother School” - Kenukan Academy!  For the next five years, Bob Boggs’ Kenukan Academy, Jim Harrison’s Bushidokan Academies, and Roger Carpenter’s Wichita Karate Institute, would meet several times every year to conduct their Full-Contact Tournaments.  Some of those matches have now become legendary!

 

As Sensei Boggs and Harrison continued to become close personal friends, they decided that Kenukan Academy should integrate / blend as much of the Bushidokan® Style as possible with Kenukan’s existing Okinawan Kenpo Style.  This would allow for easy student transition between Bushidokan and Kenukan Dojos.  Agreeing with Sensei Harrison, Sensei Boggs began to blend the two styles together.  One day, Sensei Boggs asked Sensei Harrison what he should call what he was teaching - it was no longer Okinawan Kenpo, yet it was not completely Bushidokan.  Sensei Harrison suggested that Sensei Boggs do what he did - create his own style and name it after his school.  Thus, the style Kenukan-Ryu was created!

Kenukan Academy Newspaper Advertisement From 1977  - Both Bushidokan & Kenukan Were AKBBA Dojos

 

In 1975, Sensei Harrison selected Sensei Boggs to be a Member of his International All-Star Black Belt Team that fought in Dallas, Texas.  In addition to being a real honor, Sensei Boggs’ selection was a true testament to the similar fighting spirit and philosophy shared between Kenukan and Bushidokan.  (Team Members Included: Bob Boggs, Mark Payne, Roger Carpenter, Greg Wilkerson, & Pat Worley).

 

Operating as an Official Affiliated School with Jim Harrison’s Kansas City Bushidokan Dojos (1973-1978), Sensei Boggs and Harrison agreed that students on membership programs could train at each other’s schools at no cost.  Plus, Sensei Boggs, for business experience, began selling programs at Jim Harrison’s Mission, KS Bushidokan Dojo.

 

In 1978, Sensei Jim Harrison moved to Missoula, Montana - where he opened Samurai Bushidokan Dojo and expanded the Bushidokan® Brand into the Northwestern United States.  Upon his move, Jim Harrison decided to sell his Mission, Kansas Bushidokan Dojo (and permission to use / teach the Bushidokan brand / style) to Sensei Boggs.  Thus, the two Styles (Kenukan-Ryu & Bushidokan-Ryu), became forever linked!     (Note: Prior to his move to Montana in 1978, Sensei Jim Harrison had operated his personal Bushidokan Dojos in Kansas City for 14 years - starting in 1964.)

Vintage Kenukan Academy Newspaper Advertisement From 1979

 

In 1980, Sensei Boggs consolidated the Kenukan / Bushidokan Academies into one location - 600 East Santa Fe St., Olathe, KS.  In 1982, the Kenukan / Bushidokan Academy created several satellite locations - including Wellsville, KS & Emporia, KS.  In 1983, Sensei Boggs established the martial arts program at the Olathe Salvation Army.  In 1985/1986, Sensei Boggs opened Kenukan Academy’s current location, 220 West Cedar St., Olathe, KS.

 

Starting in 1986, Sensei Harrison regularly came back to Kansas City to teach Bushidokan® Seminars, Training Classes, and monitor the quality of the Bushidokan Style / Brand.  These seminars included several for local law enforcement and military personnel.

 

In 1998, Sensei Bob & Travis Boggs founded the Martial Arts At Sea Training Cruises.  That inaugural year, they had Sensei Jim Harrison instruct Bushidokan Ronin Jutsu to Kenukan  / Bushidokan Students on board the cruise ship.

 

In 1999, Sensei Jim Harrison, Sensei Bob Boggs, and Grandmaster Magazine, hosted the Bushidokan Awards and Certificate Banquet - where Bushidokan Rank Certificates in Judo-Jujitsu, Karate-Kickboxing, & Ronin Goshin Jutsu, were issued.  Leading up to that event, Sensei Travis Boggs worked closely with Sensei Jim Harrison to create the Bushidokan Rank Certificates.  In addition, in 1999, Sensei Bob Boggs was formally issued his Associate Bushidokan Black Belt Certificate!  In 1998, Bob Boggs handed the role of Kenukan Academy Chief Instructor over to his son, Sensei Travis Boggs.  In 2006, upon completing his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management and Leadership from the University of Kansas, Sensei Travis Boggs was made the Owner / Chief Instructor of Kenukan Academy.

 

In 2000, Sensei Jim Harrison asked Sensei Travis Boggs to serve as his personal practice partner when teaching Bushidokan Seminars throughout the United States.  For the next 11 years (2000-2010), Sensei Travis Boggs helped Sensei Harrison with 50 seminars - including all of the Kansas City Bushidokan Dojos, Roy Kurban’s Dojo (Dallas, TX), Troy Dorsey’s Dojo (Dallas, TX), and the Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Health and Fitness Event (Columbus, OH).  In 2003, Sensei Jim Harrison promoted Sensei Travis Boggs to Shodan in Bushidokan Karate-Kickboxing.

 

In 2011, Sensei Harrison asked Sensei Travis Boggs to teach the Judo-Jujitsu Workshop at the first ever Bushidokan Style Symposium (held in Overland, Park, KS).  At the conclusion of Sensei Boggs’ Workshop, Bushidokan Judo-Jujitsu-Karate-Kickboxing Black Belt Shawn Harrison (alternate on the 1980 US Olympic Judo Team) said, "Travis Boggs' presentation and knowledge was impressive!  He taught one of the best grappling seminars that I have ever attended!”

Kenukan Academy Flyer From 1982

 

In 2017, Sensei Travis Boggs was promoted to Godan in Bushidokan Judo-Jujitsu, Yondan in Bushidokan Karate-Kickboxing, and Sandan in Bushidokan Ronin Goshin Jutsu.  Thus, Sensei Travis Boggs is the only person in the entire Kansas City area who holds Bushidokan Black Belt Rank Certification in all 3 branches of the Bushidokan Style (and subsequently, all directly under the Founder, Jim Harrison).

 

On July 19, 2017, Jim Harrison founded the Bushidokan Yudanshakai organization in order to preserve and develop the legacy, standards, traditions, and reputation of the Bushidokan® Martial Arts Style / Brand (Bushidokan-Ryu). Jim Harrison personally selected the members of the Board of Directors and bestowed certain perpetual powers to the organization. Those include the authority to issue the Bushidokan Black Belt Rank Certificates, authority to maintain the Bushidokan Black Belt Register, and the authority to license / regulate the use of the Bushidokan Logo / Trademark / Brand.  Kenukan Academy Chief Instructor, Sensei Travis Boggs, was selected by Sensei Harrison to serve as Chairman of the Board.  Subsequently, Kenukan Academy currently serves as the Midwest Office for the organization.

 

On August 3, 2019, Sensei Travis Boggs was honored to become the 1st Kansas City Bushidokan Black Belt to teach at Jim Harrison's personal Dojo since moving to Montana in 1978.  After watching Sensei Boggs' 3 hour hands-on self-defense seminar, Sensei Jim Harrison said, "I've seen a lot of martial arts instructors teach all over the world....and I've never seen a better instructor than Travis Boggs!"

 

Students who train at Kenukan Academy have the unique benefit of learning both the Kenukan & Bushidokan Styles (Judo-Jujitsu, Karate-Kickboxing, & Goshin Jutsu) — and, if they choose, receive rank in both!  Because the two styles are so similar, students can easily prepare for both exams without too much extra work.  As the old adage goes, “Knowledge is Power”.