What is Kendama? Kendama is a kind of toy that has long enjoyed popularity in Japan among both children and adults. While it may appear simple at first glance, kendama is a deep game with more than 1,000 different techniques for players to try to master. It can be played anywhere and by anyone, both men and women, young and old. The game is said to be helpful in developing concentration and perseverance. These days, however, this traditional toy is no longer just an amusement; it is becoming a competitive sport with competitions taking place all across Japan. Let's look today at the secrets behind kendama's appeal, the history of this pastime, the various techniques recognized by the Japan Kendama Association, and the different types of kendama available.
History The kendama today are made from a stick with a point at one end, three attached cups, and a ball with a small hole in one end. The cups on either side of the stick are called the big cup and small cup. The ball is connected to the stick by a roughly 40-centimeter (16-inch) piece of string. At the end of the stick is a point with which the player can attempt to spear the ball. At the other end of the stick is a cup called the medium cup. The game is basically played by tossing the ball and attempting to catch it in one of the cups or to spear it with the point of the stick. Although it may sound simple, there are a nearly unlimited number of specific techniques for doing so. Many people may think that kendama was invented in Japan, but this is not actually the case. While many different theories exist, there are records indicating that kendama originated in France in the sixteenth century. There are also theories that this game was developed in Greece or China, and the absolute truth is not known. In France, this game was called bilboquet. Bil means "ball," and boquet means "small tree." This word expresses the fact that the game involved playing with a small wooden ball. The game as it was played then was different from what we know as kendama today; there was a large cup and a small cup on either end of a
Kendama is believed to have come to Japan via the Silk Road during the Edo period (1603-1868) into Nagasaki, the only Japanese city open to foreign trade at the time. While it may have entered the country around the middle of the Edo period in around 1777 or 1778, the exact date is uncertain. At the time, kendama was apparently enjoyed by adults as a sort of drinking game. A player who made a mistake was forced to drink more. As Japan entered the Meiji era (1868-1912), the Ministry of Education introduced kendama in the report on children's education that it put together in 1876, and the game gradually began to catch on among young people. In 1919, during the Taisho era (1912-1926), the forerunner of today's kendama went on sale. It was called Nichigetsu Ball (Sun-and-moon ball), because the ball looked like the sun, while the shape of the shallow carved cups was like a crescent moon. This toy became a huge hit, and from this time into the beginning of the Showa era (19261989), a variety of different types of kendama appeared, including a ball attached to a kind of paddle.
Techniques 1. Grip Kendama may appear easy, but you are likely to find that it is actually quite difficult once you try to play. A superb sense of balance is necessary, and it isn't just the hands that matter. The player must also use the rest of the body skillfully, especially the knees. The way the kendama is held is called the grip. Let's examine the five basic grips. To perform the "ozara (big cup) grip," use your thumb and index finger to hold the stick with the point directed downward and the middle cup facing up. Keep your middle and ring fingers on the small cup. For the "point grip," you hold the stick so that the medium cup is at the bottom and the point is at the top. The "rosoku (candle) grip" involves holding the stick with the point facing down and the small cup facing you. To perform the "tama (ball) grip," hold the ball with the hole facing upwards. For the "secret grip," you hold the big cup and small cup with your fingers, with the stick parallel to the ground.
2. Basic Stances Posture plays an important role in kendama. There is the "straight stance" and the "angle stance." In the straight stance, the stick is held in the hand and the ball dangles directly below. In the angle stance, the ball is held in one hand while the stick is held with the other at a 45-degree angle. In both stances, the feet are kept slightly closer together than shoulder width, and a right-handed player puts his or her right foot one step ahead of the left. (The reverse is true for a left-handed player.) It is important to keep your center of gravity forward, relax your shoulders, and stand naturally. Hurry up and buy a kendama online. No matter which trick is performed, the player should follow a 1, 2, 3 rhythm. At first, the knees should be bent. Then, while the trick is being performed, they should be straightened. And finally, they should be bent again when the ball is caught. This rhythm is the key to kendama
3. Basic Techniques Ozara (big cup), chuzara (medium cup), and kozara (small cup) Ozara (big cup), chuzara (medium cup), and kozara (small cup) are the three most basic techniques. To perform any of these moves, start with the ball hanging below the stick, then quickly bring the ball into the air and catch it in the cup. (All three of these are performed the same way, so we will only refer to ozara below.) Make sure to bend your knees, and try to catch the ball as though it were an egg. Tomeken (pull up in) To perform tomeken (pull up in), begin with the ball hanging below the stick, but this time catch the hole of the ball on the point of thestick. While this may seem difficult, it is not so hard once you get the hang of keeping the ball's hole facing down as you pull it up.