Yosegi Kendama (Japanese Cup & Ball Toy)

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Yosegi Kendama (Japanese Cup & Ball Toy)

id: 24

Yosegi decoration is applied to the grip of Kendama. Choice of blue or red string color.

description

A kendama is a Japanese toy that consists of a hammer-like object with a ball connected to it by a string. The ball (called the tama) has a hole in it, and it rests on a spike (the ken) on the top of the kendama. The two sides of the "hammer" are concave; one is smaller than the other. The larger side is called the oozara (large plate) and the other is the kozara (small plate). There is also a medium sized plate at the bottom of the handle called the chuzara (medium plate).

The basic object is to throw the ball upwards and land it on one of the concave parts of the "hammer", as well as landing the ball on the spike. More advanced techniques involve combination moves, different landing positions and even freestyle combinations.

Yosegi, or yosegi-zaiku, is a type of traditional Japanese mosaic woodwork which originated in Japan’s culturally rich Edo Period. Yosegi veneers are commonly found on the outside of Japanese secret boxes (Himitsu-Bako) or puzzle boxes, but may also be used to decorate many other items such as trays, chests, photo frames and jewelry boxes. To learn more you can read full Yosegi article or explore Yosegi Making details below.

»Yosegi Making

1. Each piece of different-colored wood is planed to the proper thickness and fastened with glue to make the Yosegi pattern.

2. The layered wood is then cut into smaller pieces to fit the Yosegi-specific mold.

3. These pieces are tied together and glued into a unit pattern.

4. Then this block is cut into several slices to form a larger pattern.

5. The cut slices are then glued together again. The resulting plate is called Tanegi.

6. This plate is carefully shaved into thin sheets with a special plane. This shaved sheet is called Duku.

7. The shaved sheets are shrunk, ironed and applied to the products. To add glaze and sturdiness to the surface, a finishing coat of lacquer is applied.

This is the list of several trees used for the Yosegi preparation:
White: Spindle or Ilex macropoda Black: Aged Katsura Yellow: Picrasma quassioides, mulberry or sumac Brown: camphor and Amur maackia Purple: American walnut Blue: Japanese cucumber Red: Chinese cedar

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customer reviews		Average Rating
		View All Reviews
	Very beautiful		8/12/2008
Reviewed by:	Jane from Boston.
I've never seen a Kendama with traditional Japanese Yosegi mosaic on it. It looks very beautiful. I had a different kendama before but it was just plain wood. I like this toy
	Interesting toy. Great seller		1/31/2008
Reviewed by:	BK from California.
This was my second item I bought from Bene Gifts (I got Yosegi box before). I like the toy! It can be a little frustrating though, when you try a certain trick (I still cannot make "airplane"). I like that the item arrived in a beautiful gift wrap. Thank you!
	I got addicted		1/31/2008
Reviewed by:	Nick from Philadelphia.
My friend first bought it and I tried to play with it. It looks simple - but it is a lot of fun and even addicting. I bought one for myself and have been mastering my kendama skills since then.

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