Tricks with the Kendama

There are literally hundreds of kendama tricks for you to learn.

Beginners should head to this page, which has the first ten tricks from the JKA's skill level tables, including animated GIFs. For harder trick descriptions, head to the Advanced page.

For the benefit of more experienced players here is a list of 100 tricks, in Japanese and English.

JKA Skill Levels

The Japanese Kendama Association have official skill levels. To qualify for any given grade, you have ten attempts to achieve each trick listed the required number of times. Example: to qualify as a grade 5 beginner, you have 10 attempts to hit Rousoku 3 times, another 10 attempts to hit Tomeken twice, and another ten attempts to hit Hikouki once. For grade 1, you also have two attempts to achieve 50 catches of Moshi kame.

All tricks at all levels must be performed with a JKA-approved kendama.

Beginners Skill Level Table

	Grade:	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
Oozara / Big cup		1	2	3
Kozara / Small cup			1	2	3
Chuuzara / Base cup				1	2	3
Rousoku / Candle					1	2	3
Tomeken / Pull-up-in						1	2	3
Hikouki / Aeroplane							1	2	3
Furiken / Swing in								1	2	3
Nihon ishuu / Around Japan									1	2	3
Sekai isshuu / Around the world										1	2
Toudai / Lighthouse											1
Moshi kame											50 (2)

Pre-Advanced Skill Level Table

Tomeken / Pull-up-in	5
Hikouki / Aeroplane	5
Furiken / Swing in	5
Ken isshuu / Around prefecture	4
Nihon ishuu / Around Japan	4
Sekai isshuu / Around the world	3
Toudai / Lighthouse	2
Ken saki suberi / Slip-on-stick	1
Moshi kame	100 (1)

As above, but only 1 attempt at Moshi kame.

Advanced Skill Level Table

	Grade:	1	2	3	4	5	6
Sekai isshuu / Around the world		4	5
Toudai / Lighthouse		4	5
Ken saki suberi / Slip-on-stick		3	4	5	6
Earth turn / Chikyuu mawashi		3	4	5	6
Saka otoshi / Falling down		2	3	4	5
Ura furiken / Reverse swing in		2	3	4	5
Uchuu issuu / Suicide aeroplane		1	2	3	4	6	8
Uguisu / Bird		1	2	3	4	6	8
Tsurushi tomeken / Hanging pull-up-in		1	2	3	4	6	8
Haneken / Jumping stick		1	2	3	4	6	8
Ikaiten hikouki / 1 turn aeroplane				1	2	4	6
Ikaiten toudai / Swing in lighthouse				1	2	4	6
Suberidome gokui / Slip grip special						3	5
Uguisu no taniwatari / Bird fly over the valley						3	5
Toudai tonbogaeri / Lighthouse somersault						2	4
Tsurushi ikkaiten hikouki / Hanging 1-flip aeroplane						2	4
Nikaiten toudai / Swing flip lighthouse						1	3
Jiyu shumoku / Freestyle tricks							**
Taimu kyogi B / Speed Trick B				120s	60s	45s
Moshi kame		200	300	500	1000

For grades 1-4 only 1 attempt is permitted at Moshi kame, which must be performed at 135 beats/minute.
Grades 3-5 must perform all of the tricks in the Speed Trick B table (below) within the alloted number of seconds. ** For Grade 6, the JKA says "You must show the Technical Level suitable for the Advanced 6th Grade.": We at the BKA are unsure exactly how this is judged. If anyone can enlighten us, please get in touch!

Speed Trick B

Mae Furi Rousoku / Swing candle

Ken ishuu / Around prefecture

Nihon ishuu 2 kai renzoku / Around Japan 2 times

Sekai ishuu 2 kai renzoku / Around the world 2 times

Yoropa ishuu / Around Europe

Chikyuu mawashi / Earth turn

Uguisu-ken / Bird and in

Haneken / Jumping stick

Ikkaiten Hikouki / One flip aeroplane

Saka otoshi / Falling down

If you're having trouble hitting a trick, remember the golden rule:
MORE KNEES!