How to Play Kendama
Kendama is an ancient Japanese toy that focuses on hand-eye coordination and patience. I have been playing Kendama for multiple years now, and it is a portable and entertaining pastime that I can bring anywhere.
The game is commonly made of wood and has three cups and a spike, which is called the ken, and connects to a ball using sting. The ball has a hole in it, and the objective is to land the ball onto the cups and the spike. You can get get started by learning a few basic tricks.
4 Helpful Tips For Beginner Kendama Player
- Always hold the Ken like you’re writing with a pencil. This will allow you to land it on any three of the cups.
- Pull the ball up, instead of swinging the ball. This will give you more control when you attempt to land it on the cups.
- Watch the ball all the way to the cup. It helps to cushion it as if you were catching an egg.
- Be patient. It takes years to master the Kendama, just stay calm and breathe
The Ken has three different cups, Big cup, Little cup and Base cup. Base cup is the one opposite of the spike.
For this first trick we will go from Big cup, to small cup and back to big cup.
- Hold the Ken horizontally with the big cup facing upward
- Pull upward on the string and move the cup underneath the ball to catch it
- Once you have the ball on big cup, toss the ball up into the air
- While the ball is in the air rotate your wrist 180 degrees so small cup is facing upward
- Watch the ball into the cup, cushioning its landing
- After catching on small cup, toss the ball back into the air
- Rotate your wrist 180 degrees and catch the ball in the big cup
Congrats! You just did a basic Trick! Keep practicing this and do not be afraid to go for base cup either. As you are practicing, work on how you control the ball, this will help you transition tricks in the future.
Now Let’s Learn how to Spike
- Hold the Ken upright with the spike pointing towards the sky and the ball resting calmly
- Pull the ken towards the sky lifting the ball into the air
- Move the spike underneath the ball before catching it, cushioning its fall
If you are having trouble, you can spin the ball slightly before starting. This will help keep the hole at the bottom making it easier to spike.
Kendama offers an infinite combination of tricks, and this is just the foundation that will allow you to do fancier and more impressive tricks in the future.
