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British Kendama Association

Kendama: "Elegant Simplicity. Infinite Complexity. Ultimate Fun."

Welcome to the BKA: the ultimate resource for all kendama-related information. You'll find the all latest kendama news, and a wealth of other info on the pages linked below. If you're completely new to the Japanese skill-toy that is kendama,
and don't know what it's all about, watch this.
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Where and When

The 1st BKC was held on Saturday the 29th of March 2008 at the Doncaster Dome
 as a part of the British Juggling Convention. Start time was 12:00 noon.
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BKA Official Kendama Championship 2008 Tricklist

Welcome to the official home of the first British Kendama Championships. The 2008 BKC will be run in a 'trick ladder' style format. Players will compete against each other to work through 20 tricks, split into two lists of 10, which may start off simple, but become progresively harder with each step. The rules are simple. The player who gets the furthest through the list is the winner. A title for the highest-placed Under-16 player will also be awarded.

Beginners

For the first 10 tricks on the list players are permitted 3 attempts to successfully complete each trick. If a trick is completed successfully, the player moves on to the next trick in the list. If not, then their run is over. The tricks must be attempted in order.

Japanese name / English name (Clarification)
1. Oozara / Big cup
2. Kozara / Small cup
3. Chuuzara / Base cup
4. Rousoku / Candlestick
5. Swinging Oozara (String must remain taut until ball is above the level of the ken)
6. Tsubame Kaeshi / Orbit (Oozara>Orbit>Ozara)
7. Tomeken / Pull-up-in
8. Kajiya / Tap Back (Oozara>tap ball with ken>Oozara)
9. Hikouki / Aeroplane
10. Moshikame for 10 catches (Starting with Oozara or Kozara - player's choice)

 Advanced

For tricks 11 - 20 on the list players are permitted 5 attempts to successfully complete each trick, in order. Again if a trick is completed successfully, the player moves on to the next trick in the list. If not, then their run is over. Players must have completed the beginners list before attempting the advanced list.

11. Kuuchuu Buranko / Trapeze acrobats (No pause between catching the ken and pulling up to chuuzara)
12. Furiken / Swing-in
13. Nihon isshuu / Around Japan
14. Sekai isshuu / Around the World
15. Toudai / Lighthouse (Hold still for 3 seconds)
16. Iai Tomeken / Faster than gravity (Initial movement of the ken must be downwards)
17. Ken saki suberi / Slip on Stick (Body catch, then slide to spike. Must remain in contact during slide)
18. Chikyuu Mawashi / Earth Turn (Furiken start)
19. Tsurushi Tomeken / Hanging Tomeken (Start position: Top of ball must be no higher than the top of spike)
20. Uguisu / Bird (Hold still for 3 seconds)

In the event of a tie, the player who reached the highest level with the fewest mistakes is the winner.
If the game is still tied after this, then players will compete in Moshikame, each player having one minute to complete as many catches as possible. Their run ends at the first drop, or after 60 seconds, whichever comes first.

Rules

The ball must not be spinning when in the start position.

All tricks must be performed with a JKA-sanctioned kendama.

For multi-stage tricks, no adjustments may be made to the string with the free hand. Similarly, the ball may not be re-positioned after an initial catch, before moving on to a later stage.

All competitors must be British. Apologies to those this excludes but we want to promote the game to the UK and find the best 'British player' of the moment...

The judges' decisions are final.

Tricklist Video

Watch all 20 tricks being demonstrated here.

Bonus comp! The Speed Trick Challenge

On Thursday & Friday of the BJC, TeamKD members will be running qualifying trials of the Speed Trick Challenge.

Entrants are allowed three qualifying runs.
The finalists get to fight it out on Competition Day.

The idea: complete the first 10 tricks on the tricklist, in order, in as fast a time as possible. If you miss a trick, you just keep going until you hit it.

The Speed Trick Challenge is open to players of all nationalities.

Speed Trick Challenge Video