I recently decided that it was time to pick up a Kendama I’ve had sitting around for a while. I’ve messed with it a bit before and figured out how to land all the cups and spike it.
I’ve been playing with it for real for a week or two now. I’ve figured out and landed all of the beginner tricks on Sweet’s site, except for Lighthouse. I can’t stick this one. Anybody have any tips?
Do most of the pull up with your knees, and right before your knees lock do a light pull up so the ken goes straight up. Try and land the base cup on the hole of the tama.
What Kendama are you using?
I’ve got a mint green Roots paintedwith a tribute Ozora as my main now. Started out with one of the Kendamas with the pros favorite animal on it. I forget what it was called.
Landed it a handful of times today. Also hit bird a few times as well for the first time.
Congrats! It’s always a good feeling when you hit bird perfect isn’t it? Try for over the valley next. Land bird, then hop over the spike and land bird on the other cup. Once you get the hang of it you can go back and forth with it, one of my favorite tricks.
-Garrett
Not hitting lighthouses for jack. Boooooo
It mat seem weird, but lick your base cup, or get it wet, helps a lot with grip.
If you don’t feel like licking your kendama this works pretty good too.
I wasn’t either, but on Saturday, I went to a yoyo club and did hardly anything but play kendama and try to land a lighthouse. After hundreds of tries, I started hitting a few. Just dedicate real time, and it will come.
Landed a few jumping sticks. That’s a good feeling. 
Want to land hanging spike next.
the biggest thing that’s helped me (even though I’m still super inconsistent) was getting a bigger Kendama.
cheating shmeating…
it’s still lotsa practice…
but KROM Viking is legitimately the closest there is to a beginner’s kendama.
bigger means easier for balance tricks - don’t know why… but there ya go.
The new Catchy Street Kendama is really easy to lighthouse too. They made the cups bigger and it really helps with balance tricks. It does looks a little strange at first with the kind of bulgy bottom cup but it plays great. Definitely worth considering if you need help with balance tricks.
I’ll be getting one of those sometime in December, hopefully! Good to hear they play well.