Hokuryu Kendama Festival at Sunflower Village in Hokuryu Town, Let's play Kendama while watching sunflowers in full bloom! Hosted by Hokuryu Kendama Club

Thursday, August 8, 2024

On August 4 (Sun.) from 11:00 a.m., the Hokuryu Kendama Club will hold the "Hokuryu Kendama Festival" at the Himawari-no-sato lawn!

Hokuryu Kendama Festival

Explanation of the game by Representative Kishi
Explanation of the game by Representative Kishi

Many people, including local kendama members and more than 40 children and adults from out of town (about 70 people in total, including about 30 observers), participated in the event and enjoyed themselves to the fullest.

In the afternoon, the kendama competition lasted two and a half hours from 13:30 to around 16:00, with heated competition.

Morning and afternoon sessions

There were two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with the "Tsutsu Ken" competition starting at 11:00 a.m. and the "Kendama" competition starting at 1:30 p.m.

  • Tsutsuken 11:00-
    Tsutsuken long throw catch, can you catch it? Can you catch it or not? Quiz
    Tsutsu Ken Long Throw Catch is competed in pairs, parent-child division, and elementary school students and above!
  • Kendama 13:30 -
    Kendama Club Performance, Handstand Lighthouse Race, Kendama Rock-Paper-Scissors, Can you do it? Can you do it? Quiz, Guest Performance
  • Sponsored by:Hokuryu Kendama Club
  • Sponsored by:Hokuryu-cho Sunflower Tourist Association, Sunflower Village Shop Association, Kato Farm
  • Cooperation:ROOTS (Kendama Pro Shop) ASAHIDAMA, GREEN BELT HIGH POWER, California Agricultural Cooperative, Las Vegas Free Information Center
     
  • Luxury prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in each category.
  • Tubular ken and kendama are available for rent, so you can participate in the competition without bringing your own.

Kendama is rented free of charge

Kendama can be rented free of charge, and you are free to participate.

Rental and free participation
Rental and free participation

ASAHIDAMA (Asahikawa, Japan) Various kendama sold

ROOTS (Kendama Pro Shop) ASAHIDAMA's various Kendamas on sale
ROOTS (Kendama pro store) ASAHIDAMA (Asahikawa City, Asahikawa Prefecture) Various Kendama sales
Owner, Masaki (John) Akamatsu JOHN

A call for support!

When your friends are playing, please give them a shout.
Give them encouragement when they fail, and cheer them on with joy when they succeed!" andMr. Masateru Akamatsu JOHN (John)The word of the day.

Please cheer for your friends!
Please cheer for your friends!

1. Hokuryu Kendama Club Performance

Fellow members of the Hokuryu Kendama Club will show off their usual hard work and their well-trained kendama mastery!

Hokuryu Kendama Club Performance
Hokuryu Kendama Club Performance

Clear! Crackle, crackle, crackle!

Clear! Crackle, crackle, crackle!
Clear! Crackle, crackle, crackle!
Wow!
Wow!
Everyone, let's go!
Everyone, let's go!

Audience members watching the show!

Audience.
Audience.

Reception and Application Corner

Reception and Application Corner
Reception and Application Corner

Various kendama!

Various kendama for sale
Various kendama for sale

2. hand-held lighthouse lace

  • Three kendama placed on the table.
    The contestants put the "lighthouse" technique on their hands and compete for the time it takes to complete all three without falling over.
    Line up in order.
  • Hand lighthouse race, line up in order...
    Hand lighthouse race, line up in order...

    A moment of tension in front of three kendama in a row!

    A moment of tension in front of three kendama in a row!
    A moment of tension in front of three kendama in a row!

    Moment of clarity!

    Moment of clarity!
    Moment of clarity!

    Prize Kendama

    Prize-winning kendama!
    Prize-winning kendama!

    Announcement of results "Prizes

    • 1st Place:4.93 seconds, "Kendama KROM Kendama (Kanade Shin Fujita model)
    • 2nd place:5.17, "Kendama sweets (kendama with good grip and easy to put on)"
    • 3rd Place:6 seconds 83, "Kendama sweets
    • 4th place:7.16 seconds. "Sunflower Melon
    • 5th Place:7 seconds 2・"Commodity coupon 1,000 yen that can be used at the tourist center

    Winners in the adult category will receive rice from Kato Farm!
     

    • 1st Place:7.55 seconds. Kato Farm's rice.
    • 2nd place:8.04・Rice from Kato Farm
    • 3rd Place:9.72, Kato Farm Rice

    3. kendama rock-paper-scissors-scissors

    • A game in which KISSHI's hand is hidden and the person who holds the ball the same way as KISSHI among three ways (with the ball on a plate, on a ken, or on a medium plate) wins the game to remain the winner.

    First, goo, then rock, paper, scissors, pong! The challenge was made in the following way!

    First, goo, then rock-paper-scissors!
    First, goo, then rock-paper-scissors!

    Yay!

    Yay!
    Yay!

    Announcement of results "Prizes

    • 1st Place:Kendama LEGAXIS
    • 2nd place:Kendama USA Sweets
    • 3rd Place:Kendama USA Sweets
    • 4th place:sunflower oil
    • 5th Place:1,000 yen gift certificate (can be used at the Tourist Center store)

    4. can you do it? Can you or can't you? Quiz

    • A competition in which players draw a piece of paper with kendama techniques written on it, decide on a technique, and choose whether the technique played is successful or not. The winner of the game is the one who wins.
    • Four adults will play one by one: John, Kichie, Toru, and Daisaku.

    Announcement of results "Prizes

    • 1st Place:Kendama KROM YASU Champ Model (Champion model of YASU, a member of the M Pro Team and a cumulative 4-time world champion)
    • 2nd place:Kendama KROM - GAS - CREAM (Wood grain visible)
    • 3rd Place:Kendama KROM - GAS - GRAY
    • 4th place:sunflower oil dressing
    • 5th Place:sunflower oil dressing
    • 6th-10th:1,000 yen gift certificate (can be used at the Tourist Center store)

    5. guest performance

    • Showcasing the mastery of veteran players!
    Guest Performance
    ... Guest Performance

    Greetings from Mr. Masateru Akamatsu JOHN

    John's final greeting
    John's final greeting

    Thank you all for your hard work! It was Kickey who said that we could do kendama at such a nice sunflower location.

    With the cooperation of the people of Hokuryu Town, we were able to have fun with people coming from all over the province. We were worried that it might rain, but we were able to do it in such weather, so it was fun.

    It is not often that you can play Kendama on the lawn. Today was a great success. Thank you!" .

    Message from Naoki Kishi, President, Hokuryu Kendama Club

    I hope you will continue your efforts to promote and develop kendama. Thank you very much for your kind attention today! said Representative Kishi.

    Greetings from Representative Kishi
    Greetings from Representative Kishi
    Hokuryu Kendama Club Connecting Fun
    Hokuryu Kendama Club Connecting Fun

    With a heart as bright and energetic as a sunflower, the "Hokuryu Kendama Club" connects the "fun" of people, both adults and children, at its summer festival with boundless love, gratitude and prayers.

    We are thankful for kendama, which we enjoy with a heart as bright and energetic as a sunflower.
    We are thankful for kendama, which we enjoy with a heart as bright and energetic as a sunflower.

    Youtube Video

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    ◇ Reporting and writing by Ikuko Terauchi (Photography and editorial assistance by Noboru Terauchi)

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