Monster Kendama Guide
Base cup is the cup at the bottom of the ken. Its position changes the way you hold and track the kendama, but the core idea remains familiar: create a straight tama path and bring a level surface underneath it.
Orient the ken
Use a relaxed grip near the sarado and angle the handle so the base cup faces upward. Do not cover the cup with your palm. Let the tama hang still beneath the target.
Make the catch
Bend, rise and guide the tama upward. Keep the base cup directly below the ball. Descend as the tama arrives and allow the knees to absorb its weight.
Because the handle is angled, players often overuse the wrist. Keep the cup plane level and let the legs drive the motion.
Solve base-cup misses
If the tama clips the handle, move the target slightly away from your body. If it bounces, soften the landing. If it misses consistently to one side, check that your grip is not twisting the ken during the pull.
Add it to a cup line
Practice big cup, small cup, base cup with a pause after each catch. Later, reduce the pauses. Consistent transitions matter more than speed.
Frequently asked questions
Is base cup the same as bottom cup?
Yes. Players commonly use both terms for the cup at the bottom of the handle.
Is base cup smaller than big cup?
On most kendamas it is smaller, which makes level alignment important.
What trick should follow base cup?
Spike is a natural next target, or you can build a three-cup sequence.