Pop Japan

Mathhew Ballard made a documentary that showed the newest KROM Kendama pro, Iiji Hiroki, whose goal was to redefine kendama with active and stylish dancing, together with precise consistency. 

Kendama is a Japanese toy made up of the "Ken" (handle) and the "tama" (ball) which is connected by a string. Kendama is a simple, interactive toy that strengthens mental and physical skills while you play. 

But Iijima Hiroki definitely nailed it! Prior to his goal, he made kendama looked cool as the yoyo and skateboarding. IIji, as most of the people call him, started incorporating kendama and dance when he went toan after-school child care center where they all played moshi-kame to the music of "mayim mayim", a popular folk dance in Japan. 

Tags: tradition, iijima hiroki, kendama samurai, matthew ballard, ken, tama, mayim mayim, folk dance in japan, physical skills