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 BKA'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.

Skill Levels

The BKA now keeps a register of players' official skill levels.
The skill level system mirors that of the Japanese Kendama Association.
To qualify for any given grade, you have to take an exam. 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 an approved kendama.
A separate, unstrung, kendama may be used for Moshi Kame only.

See videos of all these tricks in KendamApp.

Beginners Skill Level Table

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

Pre-Advanced Skill Level Table

Tomeken / Pull-up-in	gif	5
Hikouki / Aeroplane	gif	5
Furiken / Swing In	gif	5
Ken isshuu / Around Prefecture	gif	4
Nihon ishuu / Around Japan	gif	4
Sekai isshuu / Around the World	gif	3
Toudai / Lighthouse	gif	2
Ken saki suberi / Slip-on-stick	gif	1
Moshi Kame	gif	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	gif	4	5
Toudai / Lighthouse	gif	4	5
Ken saki suberi / Slip-on-stick	gif	3	4	5	6
Chikyuu mawashi / Earth Turn	gif	3	4	5	6
Saka otoshi / Falling Down	gif	2	3	4	5
Ura furiken / Reverse Swing In	gif	2	3	4	5
Uchuu issuu / Around the Cosmos	gif	1	2	3	4	6	8
Uguisu / Bird	gif	1	2	3	4	6	8
Tsurushi tomeken / Hanging Pull-up-in	gif	1	2	3	4	6	8
Haneken / Jumping Stick	gif	1	2	3	4	6	8
Ikaiten hikouki / 1-turn Aeroplane	gif			1	2	4	6
Ikaiten toudai / 1-turn Lighthouse	gif			1	2	4	6
Suberidome gokui / Slip Grip Special	gif					3	5
Uguisu no taniwatari / Bird Fly Over the Valley	gif					3	5
Toudai tonbogaeri / Lighthouse Somersault	gif					2	4
Tsurushi ikkaiten hikouki / Hanging 1-turn Aeroplane	gif					2	4
Nikaiten toudai / 2-turn Lighthouse	gif					1	3
Jiyu shumoku / Freestyle Tricks							**
Taimu kyogi B / Speed Trick B	gif			120s	60s	45s
Moshi Kame	gif	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, you must show the technical level suitable for the Advanced 6th Grade: Two tricks of the required level must be declared, and approved by the examiner, then shown once, in 10 attempts per trick.

Speed Trick B
slow gif - fast gif

Mae Furi Rousoku / Swing to Candle	gif
Ken ishuu / Around the Prefecture	gif
Nihon ishuu 2 kai renzoku / Around Japan 2 times	gif
Sekai ishuu 2 kai renzoku / Around the World 2 times	gif
Yoropa ishuu / Around Europe	gif
Chikyuu mawashi / Earth Turn	gif
Uguisu-ken / Bird and In	gif
Haneken / Jumping Stick	gif
Ikkaiten Hikouki / 1-turn Aeroplane	gif
Saka otoshi / Falling Down	gif

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