Kendama

Officially Kendama (剣玉)

Traditional Japanese skill toy — wooden 'ken' (sword-shaped handle) with three cups + spike, connected by string to a wooden 'tama' (ball); players perform tricks catching ball on cups or spike, with modern competitive scene featuring 100+ tricks.

📐flat competition stage⏱~2 min🌤both

What is Kendama?

Kendama is a traditional Japanese skill toy with modern global competitive scene. Design: wooden 'ken' (sword-shaped handle) with three cups (large, medium, small) + spike (kensaki), connected by 30-40cm string to a wooden 'tama' (ball) with a hole. Origin: French 'bilboquet' (16th c.) evolved through Chinese variants + arrived Japan late 18th c. Ken + tama refined into modern kendama in early 20th c. (Egawa Shozan 1919 established modern form). Standardized 1975 by Kendama Association Japan (JKA). Modern American + global renaissance from 2000s (Japan Kendama Association, KendamaUSA, GLOKEN — Global Kendama Network). Tricks: 100+ tricks documented — from beginner (Big Cup, Small Cup, Spike) to advanced (Lighthouse, Airplane, Around the Japan, Rotating Cup Combos). Competitions judged on freestyle routines (music + tricks). Modern professional kendamas: $30-100+ with sticky paint, weighted balls, specialty wood. GLOKEN + KWC (Kendama World Cup) draw players from 40+ countries. Held annually in Hatsukaichi, Japan since 2014. Cultural importance: taught in Japanese elementary schools; considered mental training + fine motor skills development. Global explosive growth 2010s-present.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Perform choreographed trick routines judged on difficulty + execution + variety + music synchronization.

Match structure

Player performs 60-90 sec freestyle routine to their music. Judges score on: technical difficulty of tricks landed, missed tricks (deductions), variety of trick styles, use of stage/kendama, music synchronization. Best routine wins.

Rules

Basic rules

Kendama basics
Toss + catch tama on cups (big cup, small cup, base cup) or spike (kensaki).
Freestyle competition (1-2 min routine)
Choreographed to music; judged on technical + performance components.
Missed tricks = deductions
String tangles + dropped tama + failed tricks all deduct from score.
Trick variety rewarded
Judges favor diverse trick set vs same trick repeated 3+ times.
Music synchronization
Choreography matching music beats/phrases scored bonus.
Legal kendama specs
Must be standard Japanese/GLOKEN-compliant kendama; no special modifications.
Stage boundaries
Player must stay on 2m × 2m stage; stepping off = warning.

Advanced rules

Trick difficulty ratings
GLOKEN publishes trick lists rated by difficulty; higher difficulty = more points.
Bahama Kendama trick system
Named tricks: Spike, Big Cup, Small Cup, Base Cup, Around Japan, Around World, Airplane, Lighthouse, Grip Flip, Whip Catch, Lunar Airplane.
Trick composition (combinations)
Elite kendama chains 3+ tricks smoothly for higher scores.
String breaks + tangles
1 break allowed with quick recovery; multiple breaks = penalties.
Creative trick invention
New tricks receive bonus if unique + landed cleanly.
GLOKEN judging criteria (100 pt)
Technical (60), Composition (20), Style (10), Performance (10).
Kendama grip variations
Grip: standard, reverse, side; different grips enable different trick vocabularies.
Weight class variations (some)
Standard 148g competition kendamas; ultralight + heavy variants for specific tricks.

Scoring

Judges rate freestyle on technical + composition + style + performance (~100 pts). Highest wins.

Action	Points
Trick landed (basic)	1-3
Trick landed (advanced)	3-10
Trick landed (master-level)	10-20
Missed trick / dropped tama	-1 to -3
String break	-3 to -5
Music sync + choreography	+2 to +10
Variety bonus (diverse trick set)	+5 to +15

Win condition · Highest total judge score wins.

Playing area

Called

flat competition stage

Dimensions

2m × 2m stage; adequate clearance overhead for tricks.

Indoor stage; kendama play requires no field; freestyle competitions on lit stage.

Equipment

Kendama (ken + tama)
Wooden traditional style: $15-30. Competition-grade with grip paint: $40-150. Premium (Bahama Kendama Sweets, KROM, KendamaUSA Tribute): $80-200.
String
Thick nylon or waxed cotton string ~30-40cm connecting ken to tama; changed frequently (wear).
Bead (bead on string)
Wooden bead on string; provides slight friction + regulates tricks.
Grip paint (competition)
Non-slip surface allowing better catches; standard for competitive kendamas.
Optional: cushion pad
For beginners to protect kendama from drops.

Officiating

Panel scores independently; highest + lowest dropped; middle averaged. Judges verify trick execution + music sync.

Head Judge
Panel of 3-5 judges
Timekeeper
Cheating Detection Reviewers

Strategies

Master basics first (Big Cup, Small Cup, Spike)
Foundation tricks enable all combos; take weeks-months to consistently land.
Grip variations for tricks
Standard grip for spikes; reverse grip for lunars; side grip for hooks.
String tension awareness
Loose string = easier for some tricks; tight = for grip-flips + spikes.
Sticky paint effect
Grip paint kendamas 'catch' tama better; enable tricks impossible on unpainted.
Freestyle building (music sync)
Choose music, plan trick sequences that hit beats — build routine iteratively.
Recovery from misses
One drop is fine; recover smoothly — visible frustration hurts artistic score.

Terminology

Kendama: The toy itself — sword + ball.
Ken: Handle (sword-shaped) with cups + spike.
Tama: The ball attached by string.
Kensaki: Spike (point of ken).
Big Cup / Small Cup / Base Cup: 3 cups on ken; catches for tama.
Spike: Catching tama on spike — classic beginner trick.
Around Japan: Tama transferred through all cups + spike in one motion.
Around World: More elaborate around Japan variation with spike in center.
Lighthouse: Tama balanced on ken; ken flipped for spike catch.
Airplane: Full 360° kendama rotation before catch.
Whip Catch: Fast whipping motion to catch tama.
Grip Flip: Switching grip position during trick.
Lunar: Tama balanced on outside of ken.
Grip paint: Non-slip paint on modern competition kendamas.
Sticky vs Slick: Painted (sticky) vs unpainted (slick) kendama surfaces.
Freestyle: Choreographed routine (1-2 min) to music for competition.
Grid competition: Trick list format — competitors try to land all tricks on standardized list in order.

Major competitions

Kendama World Cup (KWC) — Hatsukaichi, Japan
annual · worldwide (Japan-based) · since 2014
GLOKEN World Championships
annual · worldwide · since 2014
US Kendama Open
annual · USA · since 2010
European Kendama Championships
annual · Europe · since 2013
Regional grid + freestyle competitions
monthly-quarterly · worldwide

Where it is played

Governing bodies

GLOKEN (Global Kendama Network / KWC organizer)
Founded 2014 · Hatsukaichi, Japan
Official site ↗
Japan Kendama Association (JKA)
Founded 1975 · Tokyo, Japan
KendamaUSA (US commercial + community)
Founded 2010 · USA
Official site ↗

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Bonz Atron (USA, b. 1995) — Multiple KendamaUSA sponsored player; iconic modern trick vocabulary
Wyatt Bray (USA) — KWC gold medalist; smooth-style pioneer
Yoshinori Nakamura (Japan) — Multi-time Japan National Champion; traditional style master
Nick Gallagher (USA) — Popular content creator + longtime pro
Zoomadanke (Japan) — Iconic freestyle competitor + coach
Nick Cassey (USA/Ireland) — Grip-flip innovation pioneer
Sebastian Klengel (Germany) — European multi-time champion
Bryson Lee (USA) — Grid competition top performer

Records

Most KWC (Kendama World Cup) grid wins
Various — top 3 typically rotate — Multiple champions since 2014 (2024)
Fastest 'spike' sequence
Various pros — 10+ spikes in 10 seconds (2020)
Kendama industry
Global kendama companies — $50M+ industry (2020s) (2024)
Highest-scoring KWC freestyle
Various winners — Elite scores 85-95/100 (2023)

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Buy beginner kendama
$15-30 for entry-level; KendamaUSA Kaizen, Sweets Focus, TK16 Master.
2
Learn Spike + Big Cup
Foundational tricks; practice weeks until 5-in-a-row consistent.
3
Add basic tricks (Small Cup, Base Cup, Around Japan)
Structured progression through beginner curriculum.

intermediate

1
Upgrade to competition kendama
$40-100 for grip-painted competition-grade (KendamaUSA Ripple, Bahama Kendama Sweets).
2
Master 20+ tricks
Airplane, Lighthouse, Whip Catch, Grip Flip variants.
3
Local + regional competitions
US Kendama Open, European Kendama Championships.

advanced

1
KWC (Kendama World Cup)
Annual event in Hatsukaichi, Japan; 40+ nations compete.
2
Sponsorship opportunities
Top players sponsored by KendamaUSA, Bahama Kendama Sweets, Sol Kendama.
3
Signature kendama lines
Elite pros get signature kendamas designed with major brands.

Frequently asked

What is kendama?+

Traditional Japanese skill toy — wooden 'ken' (sword-shaped handle) with three cups + spike, connected by string to a wooden 'tama' (ball with hole). Players toss + catch the tama on the cups (big/small/base) or spike, performing tricks. Origin: French bilboquet (16th c.) → China → Japan (18th c.). Modern kendama refined by Egawa Shozan 1919; standardized 1975 by JKA. Global competitive scene emerged 2010s; annual Kendama World Cup in Japan since 2014.

How do you play kendama?+

Basic play: hold ken by handle, let tama hang from string. Toss tama upward + swing ken to catch tama on desired target (cup or spike). Start with basic Spike (catch tama on point) + Big Cup (catch tama in largest cup). Progress to advanced tricks: Around Japan (through all cups + spike), Lighthouse (balance tama on ken), Airplane (full rotation catch), Lunar (balance on outside), Whip Catch. 100+ documented tricks. Practice foundational tricks weeks before advancing.

How much does kendama cost?+

Range: BEGINNER — $15-30 (KendamaUSA Kaizen, Sweets Focus, generic wooden). INTERMEDIATE — $30-60 (grip-painted competition-grade). PROFESSIONAL — $60-150 (Bahama Kendama Sweets, KendamaUSA Tribute, KROM). ULTRA-PREMIUM — $150-500 (rare woods, limited editions, artist collaborations, exotic materials). Grip paint kendamas essential for advanced tricks — friction enables catches impossible on unpainted wood. Strings + beads: $2-5 per set (changed frequently).

Who are top kendama players?+

Modern era: Bonz Atron (USA), Wyatt Bray (USA), Yoshinori Nakamura (Japan), Nick Gallagher (USA), Zoomadanke (Japan), Sebastian Klengel (Germany), Bryson Lee (USA). KWC (Kendama World Cup) held annually in Hatsukaichi, Japan since 2014 — competitors from 40+ countries. Multiple champions rotate at top level. Sponsorship deals with brands (KendamaUSA, Bahama Kendama Sweets, Sol Kendama, KROM) support elite players.

Is kendama taught in Japanese schools?+

Yes — kendama is widely taught in Japanese elementary schools + physical education programs. Considered mental training (concentration, patience) + fine motor skills development. JKA (Japan Kendama Association) certifies teachers + issues grade rankings (10 kyu to master). Cultural significance: kendama viewed as traditional craft + character-building activity. This educational base creates strong Japanese talent pipeline reflected in KWC results.

What's the Kendama World Cup?+

KWC (Kendama World Cup) is the premier global kendama competition, held annually in Hatsukaichi (Hiroshima prefecture, Japan) since 2014. Organized by GLOKEN (Global Kendama Network). Format: 60-second trick-grid competitions + freestyle routines. Competitors from 40+ nations; approximately 500-1000 participants annually. Winners receive cash prizes + trophies + sponsorships. Live-streamed globally; considered kendama's Olympics-equivalent.

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-24.community