(title phot by Jacob Watts)
PLYMOUTH, MN — The kendama world descended on the Crowne Plaza Royal just outside Minneapolis, Minnesota from August 21-23 for the 2026 North American Kendama Open (NAKO), and Sol Kendamas left the weekend with some proud moments cemented in history. Between a double championship run from rising star Nowa Yamada, podium finishes from Austin Griswold and Chad Covington, a historic first-ever title from kendama Legend Kevin DeSoto, and the debut of the new Kris Bosch Legend Model v3, NAKO 2026 was one of the most memorable competitions for Sol Kendamas.
The standout story of the weekend belonged to Sol Kendamas pro Nowa Yamada, who claimed first place in both the Freestyle and Girls Open divisions, one that marked her first major Freestyle win at an American kendama competition, and a historic second time winning the Girls Open at NAKO.
Competing against a bracket of 48 players, Nowa advanced through five rounds on her way to the Freestyle title, and by all accounts, her runs were nearly flawless. She spiked the overwhelming majority of her tricks throughout the tournament, moved from trick to trick with style, and always ended her runs with buzzer-beater finales that impressed both judges and spectators alike. It was a run that not only earned her the top spot on the NAKO podium, but really solidified her as one of the sport's brightest rising competitors.
Rounding out the Freestyle podium alongside Nowa were Johnny Kress of Erratic Squirrel in 2nd and Miguel De La Torre of Erratic Squirrel in 3rd.
Sol Kendamas' presence extended deep into the Open division as well. Team member Austin Griswold earned 2nd place in the Open competition, finishing behind Jacob Schultz of Quad Kendamas, who claimed his first-ever major Open title. Johnny Kress rounded out the Open podium in 3rd place.
In the Am Open division, Sol Kendamas owner Chad Covington claimed 3rd place, adding another podium finish to the brand's weekend, and a first ever for him.
Sol Kendamas' momentum wasn't limited to the podium alone, Sol Pro Carter Justice also turned in a strong showing, placing 6th in the Pro Open division amongst a highly competitive bracket of 44 players.
Three brands were represented in the podiums across NAKO's main divisions, Sol Kendamas, Erratic Squirrel, and Quad.
Sol Kendamas Legend Kevin DeSoto added another milestone to the weekend by winning the first-ever official American Ken Cards tournament. Kencards is a collectible card game created by Ole Bohl of Germany, featuring notable kendama players, their signature tricks, and item cards inspired by kendama events, jams, and memorable moments throughout the sport's history. For players interested in learning the game, the full rules are available in the Kencards Rules. This is KD's second podium finish at a Kencards tournament following his 3rd place finish at the first ever Kencards tournament that took place at EKC 2026.
Additionally, DeSoto's weekend didn't stop there. He also placed 3rd in the "30's and Up" speed ladder, a side event hosted by Stacey King designed to spotlight veteran "OG" players who have competed for years and wanted a fun, lower-pressure format to compete in without facing the younger generation currently dominating the sport's main divisions. Rodney Ansell took 1st place in the event, with Finn Pounds finishing 2nd.
NAKO 2026 also marked the official debut of the Kris Bosch Legend Model v3, the newest signature mod and shape from Sol Kendamas. Inspired by paper cranes and stained glass windows, the v3 blends elements of two of Kris Bosch's favorite shapes, the 2UP and the SMBL, into something entirely new. The design borrows its cup profile from the SMBL, enlarged and refined with a more defined stepped cup edge, while pairing it with a 2UP-inspired spike that's been thinned out below the sarado. The shape also features a beefed up base cup with one of the largest base cup holes kendama has ever seen.
The v3 was made available exclusively in person at NAKO, giving attendees first access to the new shape before it becomes available online in the near future.
Beyond the competition results, NAKO 2026 delivered no shortage of memorable moments for the Sol Kendamas team. In a small but fitting bit of foreshadowing, the team's Uber driver from the airport to the hotel was spotted wearing a Sweets Kendamas "Cross Kens" hat with no idea it was a kendama hat at all. It was a lighthearted moment that helped set the tone for a weekend defined by community, competition, and celebration of the sport.
With multiple podium finishes, a historic first-ever title, and the launch of a highly anticipated new shape, NAKO 2026 was one for the books with Sol Kendamas. The North American Kendama Open stands as one of the most significant staple annual competitions in the US, and one you should definitely consider attending in the future.
(photo by Kota Kagoshima)
