WHAT IS KENDAMA?
A brief look into kendama culture, Japanese influence and European roots.
In A Nutshell
Analogue culture in a digital world.
Kendama is a simple, yet highly technical wooden skill-toy from Japan with a near-infinite amount of tricks. Like the ball and cup game you might be familiar with, but more complex.
It's extremely fun, very addictive and a rewarding challenge that refines your hand-eye coordination, hones your focus and sharpens your reflexes.
With kendama, you choose to play your way.
Kendama Parts
What are kendama parts called?
Kendamas have two main components, a ken ā and a tama ā”. The two parts are connected by a string ā¢.
KEN
A ken is made from two sections, a sarado ā£ and sword ā¤. It has three different sized cups - big cup ā„, small cup ā¦, base cup ā§ and a spike āØ.
TAMA
Tamas are often coated in a sticky paint and finished with stripes and scopes to help track the hole ā© for spiking tricks.
Kendama Parts
What are kendama parts called?
Kendamas have two main components, a ken ā and a tama ā”. The two parts are connected by a string ā¢.
KEN
A ken is made from two sections, a sarado ā£ and sword ā¤. It has three different sized cups - big cup ā„, small cup ā¦, base cup ā§ and a spike āØ.
TAMA
Tamas are often coated in a sticky paint and finished with stripes and scopes to help track the hole ā© for spiking tricks.
Benefits Of Kendama
Kendama is a great tool for self-improvement. It builds social skills, strengthens confidence and powers your determination. Over time you learn to apply these traits to other life aspects, and goals that once seemed impossible, become attainable.
In our digital age, technology and screens are everywhere. So to us, kendama is a positive alternative to looking at your phone on your work break, or while youāre waiting for the bus.
Check out the video below by Sweets Pro George Marshall for a visual representation of other top benefits.
Where Is Kendama From?
Kendama has a rich history that can be dated as far back as 500 B.C. Check out this video by Sweets Pro George Marshall and the kendama timeline below for all your historic kendama needs.
Kendama Timeline
ANCIENT REFERENCE
500 B.C.
The concept of kendama has existed in slight variations around the globe and can be dated as far back as 500 B.C. Inuits from Greenland made the ajagak by tying a bone to a skull with some sinew and would try to swing the skull onto the āspikeā. It is believed these ancient people may have used ākendamaā as a training tool for hunting. Some also say it was played as a ritual to hasten the sun's return during long winter months.
MAYAN DISCOVERY
250 B.C.
Recent archaeological discoveries in South America have also traced the origin of baleros - a popular Hispanic toy - to Mayan cities! In YucatƔn, a Mayan codex was found with a balero made out of a human skull, and the instructions on how to play with it.
RENAISSANCE PERIOD
1500s
The bilboquet was popularised in 16th century France by King Henry III and amongst noble children of the time. In England, the game was a trend during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, when it became known as ācup and ballā. It is said not only did the queen enjoy playing, but her courtiers did as well.
THE SILK ROAD
1700s
Itās widely believed that some of these kendama variants made their way into Nagasaki during the Edo period (1603-1868), via the āsilk roadā trade route that connected the East and the West. Nagasaki was the first Japanese city to accept Western trade.
CLASSIC INFLUENCE
1800s
Family letters note that the novelist Jane Austen played games with her young nieces and nephews and was quite good at many of them - including bilboquet, or ābilbocatchā, as Jane called it.
"Jane Austen was successful in everything that she attempted with her fingersā¦Her performances with cup and ball were marvellous. The one used at Chawton was an easy one, and she has been known to catch it on the point above a hundred times in succession, till her hand was weary." (James Edward Austen-Leigh, A Memoir of Jane Austen (1871), pp.97-98)
JAPANESE ADOPTION
1809
The earliest Japanese reference of kendama is first mentioned in the encyclopaedia āKiyusyoranā around 1809. During its infancy, kendama was used by Japanese adults as a popular drinking game at parties. If a player made a mistake, they were made to drink!
Since 1876 kendama has been part of Japanese public education, where it is used to promote mindfulness, discipline, and determination.
JAPANESE REFINEMENT
1920
In 1920 Egusa Hamaji updated the design to include the sarado (cups), and the first true form of kendama was born as āNichi-Getsu-Ballā. In Japanese the word Nichi (ę„) means the sun, and Getsu (ę), the moon - so āSun and Moon Ballā. This is likely due to the way the ball resembles the sun and the newly added cups resembles a crescent moon.
Hatsukaichi City is widely thought to be the birthplace of kendama as we know it today and where the Kendama World Cup is held, which has been running since 2014.
JAPANESE KENDAMA ASSOCIATION
1975
Later in 1975 Fujiwara Issei founded the Japanese Kendama Association and standardised kendama for competitive use. The first kendama tournament took place in 1879 in Tanashi, Japan. Sadly we have no reference of who won the first ever tournament, but we were able to dig up a picture from the second annual āWest Japan Kendama Tournamentā in 1984 Hatsukaichi.
MODERN DAY
2000+
Kendama reached Western consciousness again in the early 2000's and eventually surged in 2006 when the British Kendama Association (BKA) and KendamaUSA were founded. Since then, kendama has made its way around the world. Designs and shapes have evolved with modern kendamas featuring bigger cups and improved tama designs that help with tracking.
Here in the UK, kendama is growing fast. More communities are sprouting in different areas, which means more competitions and meet-ups are being held.
Now is a great time to be a kendama player!
Kendama Timeline
ANCIENT REFERENCE
500 B.C.
The concept of kendama has existed in slight variations around the globe and can be dated as far back as 500 B.C. Inuits from Greenland made the ajagak by tying a bone to a skull with some sinew and would try to swing the skull onto the āspikeā. It is believed these ancient people may have used ākendamaā as a training tool for hunting. Some also say it was played as a ritual to hasten the sun's return during long winter months.
MAYAN DISCOVERY
250 B.C.
Recent Archaeological discoveries in South America have also traced the origin of baleros - a popular Hispanic toy - to Mayan cities! In YucatƔn, a Mayan codex was found with a balero made out of a human skull, and the instructions on how to play with it.
RENAISSANCE PERIOD
1500s
The bilboquet was popularised in 16th century France by King Henry III and amongst noble children of the time. In England, the game was a trend during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, when it became known as ācup and ballā. It is said not only did the queen enjoy playing, but her courtiers did as well.
THE SILK ROAD
1700s
Itās widely believed that some of these kendama variants made their way into Nagasaki during the Edo period (1603-1868), via the āsilk roadā trade route that connected the East and the West. Nagasaki was the first Japanese city to accept Western trade.
CLASSIC INFLUENCE
1800s
Family letters note that the novelist Jane Austen played games with her young nieces and nephews and was quite good at many of them - including bilboquet, or ābilbocatchā, as Jane called it.
"Jane Austen was successful in everything that she attempted with her fingersā¦Her performances with cup and ball were marvellous. The one used at Chawton was an easy one, and she has been known to catch it on the point above a hundred times in succession, till her hand was weary." (James Edward Austen-Leigh, A Memoir of Jane Austen (1871), pp.97-98)
JAPANESE ADOPTION
1809
The earliest Japanese reference of kendama is first mentioned in the encyclopaedia āKiyusyoranā around 1809. During its infancy, kendama was used by Japanese adults as a popular drinking game at parties. If a player made a mistake, they were made to drink!
Since 1876 kendama has been part of Japanese public education, where it is used to promote mindfulness, discipline, and determination.
JAPANESE REFINEMENT
1920
In 1920 Egusa Hamaji updated the design to include the sarado (cups), and the first true form of kendama was born as āNichi-Getsu-Ballā. In Japanese the word Nichi (ę„) means the sun, and Getsu (ę), the moon - so āSun and Moon Ballā. This is likely due to the way the ball resembled the sun and the newly added cups resembled a crescent moon.
Hatsukaichi City is widely thought to be the birthplace of kendama as we know it today and where the Kendama World Cup is held, which has been running since 2014.
JAPANESE KENDAMA ASSOCIATION
1975
Later in 1975 Fujiwara Issei founded the Japanese Kendama Association and standardised kendama for competitive use. The first kendama tournament took place in 1879 in Tanashi, Japan. Sadly we have no reference of who won the first ever tournament in existence, but we were able to dig up a picture from the second annual āWest Japan Kendama Tournamentā in 1984 Hatsukaichi.
MODERN DAY
2000+
Kendama reached Western consciousness again in the early 2000's and eventually surged in 2006 when the British Kendama Association (BKA) and KendamaUSA were founded. Since then, kendama has made its way around the world. Designs and shapes have evolved with modern kendamas featuring bigger cups and improved tama designs that help with tracking.
Here in the UK, kendama is growing fast. More communities are sprouting in different areas, which means more competitions and meet-ups are being held.
Now is a great time to be a kendama player!
How To Play Kendama?
Before you start playing, it really helps to understand the different ways you can hold a kendama, so we highly recommend watching the Sweets Tutorial below to get you started.
Once youāre comfortable with basic catches and spikes, a good focus is to set yourself a goal, get creative and enjoy the flow. It takes practice and determination, but once you get that feeling of successfully landing a trick, youāll understand just how addictive it can be to push limits and enjoy your progression.
Although creativity might seem limited at first glance, thousands of different tricks and sequences already exist, and new tricks are still discovered regularly.
How can I meet Kendama players?
A large part of kendama is the social side. Playing with other people is widely considered the fast track approach to progression. Itās a lot easier to understand a trick when you're shown the process instead of copying it from a video.
There are a number of ways to meet other kendama players - one of the best recommendations is to attend meet-ups or events, these can usually be found in the UK Kendama Community Facebook group and on Instagram. Plus our Kendama London Discord chat group is a good source of information.
We suggest heading out to places such as your local skatepark - these are a great place to play as theyāre usually a breeding ground for like-minded people.
Major Kendama Events
NATIONAL
GLOBAL
Where Can I Buy Kendama?
We have been passionate about kendama since 2014 and started Kendama London in 2018 as dedicated specialists within the UK.
Since then, we have built relationships with the biggest brands and continue to offer the best kendamas, accessories and apparel on the market.
Take a look at our shop where you can find a large selection on offer, including beginner recommendations, pro models and more. If you have questions regarding products or anything else, feel free to contact us here.