As kendama has grown from a traditional Japanese skill toy into a global competitive sport, so too have the ways players compete. Today’s kendama events feature a variety of competition formats, each designed to put players skills to the test. This skill include consistency, creativity, speed, mental endurance, and performance under pressure.
Whether you’re trying to learn how kendama competitions work, what the different formats are, or you’re considering attending your first in person event, this guide documents the most prevalent competition styles in kendama today and a little bit of history behind them.
The Open Division is the most widely used and recognized competition format in the United States. It has become the main event at most major competitions and serves as the competitive backbone of modern kendama tournaments.
Open Division matches are:
Head-to-head (1v1)
Bracket-based
Typically single-elimination for beginner, intermediate, advanced, and amateur divisions
Often double-elimination for professional divisions, depending on the event
One to two months before the competition, a list of predetermined tricks is announced. Each trick is printed on an individual card, forming a trick deck used during matches.
A match is facilitated by an Open Division judge standing between the two players whose role is to:
Hold and manage the trick deck
Keep score of the match
Facilitate the flow of the match
Ensure tricks are landed properly and cleanly
To determine who goes first, the judge performs “spin the ken.”
This is done by:
Holding the tama while letting the ken hang freely by the string
Giving the ken a strong spin
Quickly lowering the ken to the ground to allow it to stop spinning
The direction the spike points once the ken has settled determines which player chooses whether to go first or allow their opponent to start.
The starting player draws one card at random and must attempt the trick first
If the first player lands the trick, the opponent must match it
Players alternate attempts for a total of three attempts per trick
Scoring outcomes:
If Player A lands and Player B misses → Player A gets the point
If Player A misses and Player B lands → Player B gets the point
If both players miss or make all attempts → the card goes into the null pile
When a player earns a point, the trick card is placed on their side of the judge. The first player to 3 points wins and advances in the bracket.
If players reach the end of the trick deck tied (0-0, 1-1, or 2-2), the judge shuffles all tricks from the null pile and continues using only those tricks
If the score is 1-0, 2-0, or 2-1 when the deck ends, the player with the higher score wins
Pro Open finals go to 5 points
All other Open Division matches go to 3 points
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners are always determined
Freestyle is the most popular kendama format for spectators and highlights the creative side of the sport. There are no predetermined tricks—players perform whatever they choose.
Typically 1-minute freestyle runs
Used to narrow 50–200 competitors down to a Top 16
Usually judged by three judges
Head-to-head 1v1 battles
Each matchup consists of two rounds, 45 seconds each
Players alternate runs
Inspired by bboy (breakdance) battles
Who goes first is decided by spin the ken, performed by the MC or one of the competitors.
Judges choose the winner based on Difficulty, Creativity, Flow, Variety, and Cleanliness, with difficulty almost always being the largest determining factor.
With three freestyle judges, outcomes are always 3-0 or 2-1, which means there currently are no ties in this type of Freestyle format. We may see more variations of Freestyle formats in the future as the sport grows.
Freestyle was popularized by Catch & Flow, then adopted and refined by major events such as BATB, NAKO, and EKC. This format showcases:
Unique personal style
Brand-new tricks
Dance, rhythm, and movement integrated into kendama
Speed Ladder is one of the oldest kendama competition formats in the United States, with roots tracing back to the Kengarden battles in San Francisco hosted by the owner of Grain Theory, Jake Wiens. Kengarden battles were the first ever kendama competitions held in America, with the goal of getting people together to have a good time and play kendama. Speed Ladders existed long before they were used in American events, as a matter of fact, one of the most well-known speed ladder tricks originating in Japan is called Speed Trick B. Speed Trick B is a standardized timed speed ladder used primarily by the Japan Kendama Association (JKA) to test the proficiency and consistency of mid-level players. It isn't known commonly by new kendama players, especially outside of Japan, as it is a more traditional list consisting of 10 tricks.
Players must land a predetermined list of tricks in order
In the U.S., ladders typically consist of 7 tricks per division
Speed Trick B traditionally uses 10 tricks
Divisions are split by skill level, from beginner to pro
Trick lists are announced ahead of time so players can practice
The first player to land all tricks wins
Missing a trick means retrying until landed—no skipping
At large events:
Players may be split into heats or groups
The first 1–3 players may advance from each group
Speed ladders can also be head-to-head, making them highly engaging to watch.
Speed Ladder is the only kendama format where the first person to finish automatically wins. In all other formats, points and judging—not time alone—determine outcomes.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners are always determined.
KEN is kendama’s version of SKATE (skateboarding) or HORSE/PIG (basketball) and is one of the most commonly played formats at local jams.
Players decide who goes first via spin the ken
One attempt to set the trick
Two attempts to match the trick
If a player fails to match after two attempts, they receive a letter.
The first player to spell KEN loses.
On the final letter:
The receiving player may take a third attempt, or
Call “prove it”
If “prove it” is called:
The original setter must land the trick again
If they miss, no letter is given
Each player may only use one prove it per game.
KENDAMA (long games)
DAMA (popular in Canada)
House rules: unlimited tries, unlimited prove its, or die-hard mode (one attempt only)
KEN tournaments are rare but have appeared at Van Jam, Dama to the Death, and various kendama tours.
The Kendama World Cup (KWC) is the largest and most prestigious kendama competition in the world.
Held annually in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima
First official KWC: 2014
Format tested in 2013 at the GLOKEN Cup (Nara, Japan)
Two-day event:
Day 1: Qualifiers
Day 2: Finals
12 levels, 10 tricks per level (120 total tricks)
Tricks announced 4 months in advance
Players select 10 tricks from levels 1–10 on Day 1
Each trick is worth its level value
Maximum Day 1 score: 100
As of 2025:
No perfect 100s
Highest recorded scores: 99
Two 3-minute rounds
5 tricks per round
Top 40–50 players advance
Roughly half advance with mid-to-high 90s scores
Players grouped into squares of four
Peer-judged by the other three players
Largest stage in kendama
Players select tricks from levels 3–12
All values are squared (Level 10 → 100 points)
Tricks must be landed in order for full marks bonuses
Skipping tricks forfeits points and bonuses
Judges review footage in 240fps slow motion
Full marks bonuses often decide final rankings
The winner of KWC is widely recognized as the best kendama player of the year.
Each competition format tests different skills, and attending in-person events lets players:
Learn faster
Experience real pressure
Meet the community
Watch top players up close
Decide which formats fit their strengths
Kendama competitions aren’t just about winning—they’re about shared culture, progression, and connection.
If you’ve only watched online, the next step is simple: go to an event and experience it for yourself.
