10 Easy Kendama Tricks for Beginners (With Step-by-Step Instructions)

Once you’ve landed your first catch, the real fun begins: learning tricks. The beauty of kendama is that even simple tricks feel incredibly satisfying to land, and each one builds the control you’ll need for the next. This list walks you through ten beginner-friendly tricks in roughly the order you should learn them, with clear step-by-step instructions for each. Grab your kendama and let’s get started.

Before you begin, remember the one rule that makes everything easier: bend your knees. Every trick below works best when you lift with your knees, keep your eyes on the ball, and cushion each catch softly like you’re catching an egg.

1. Big Cup

The classic starting point. Hold the kendama in a sara grip with the big cup facing up. Let the ball hang still beneath the handle, bend your knees, and pull the ball straight up. As it drops, bend your knees again and catch it in the big cup. Focus on pulling straight up so the ball returns to the same spot.

2. Small Cup

Exactly like the big cup, but you’ll catch the ball in the smaller cup on the opposite side. The smaller target demands more precision, so take your time. This trick sharpens your aim and prepares you for everything that follows.

3. Medium Cup (Base Cup)

Now aim for the cup on the bottom of the handle. Adjust your grip so this cup faces up, pull the ball straight up, and guide it down into the base cup. Landing all three cups consistently means your fundamentals are solid.

4. Around the Cups

Your first combo. Catch the ball in the big cup, toss it up and catch it in the small cup, then toss again and land it in the base cup, all in one smooth sequence. This trick teaches you to transition between catches without resetting, which is the foundation of every advanced combo.

5. The Spike

The trick everyone wants. Hold the ken grip with the spike pointing up and the ball hanging still below. Bend your knees, pull the ball straight up with your whole body, and as it falls, guide the spike into the hole. Bend your knees to absorb the landing. Tip: give the ball a slight spin as you pull, which keeps the hole facing down and easier to spike.

6. Around the World (Around the Block)

Combine your cups and your spike into one flowing sequence: big cup, small cup, base cup, and finish with a spike. This is a milestone trick that proves you can chain catches together. It feels amazing the first time you land the full sequence.

7. Airplane

Your first tama grip trick, and a big confidence booster. Hold the ball in your hand with the hole facing down toward the spike. The handle hangs below. Pull the handle up by its string and land the spike into the hole. Flipping your perspective like this opens up a whole new world of tricks.

8. Swing Spike

Add a little motion to your spike. Instead of pulling the ball straight up, swing it forward gently and spike it as it swings back toward you. The added movement makes timing trickier but teaches you to control the ball in motion, a key skill for flow.

9. Bird (Stall)

Your introduction to stalls. The goal is to balance the ball on the edge where the spike meets the small cup, so it rests there momentarily. Stalls demand a soft touch and precise control. Don’t rush this one; balance tricks reward patience more than power.

10. Lighthouse

A classic balance trick to cap off your beginner journey. Flip the kendama so the handle balances vertically, spike-up, on top of the ball. It takes a steady hand and plenty of practice, but landing your first lighthouse is a rite of passage for every kendama player.

How to Practice These Tricks

Don’t rush through the list. Land each trick consistently, several times in a row, before moving to the next. Writing the tricks out as a checklist and working through them in order is one of the fastest ways to build real skill. Keep your sessions short and frequent, and treat every miss as part of the learning process.

A well-balanced kendama makes all of this dramatically easier. Every Super Kendama is crafted from 100% solid beech wood for the authentic weight and feel that helps tricks land cleanly. Browse our full collection and find the kendama that’s right for your journey, and check out our beginner’s guide if you’re just getting started.