Snarkle Talks: Episode 04 (The One Where We Learn that Collecting Kendamas is Fun with Alex Harris)
Kellie Kawahara-Niimi (00:20.558)
Have you ever found yourself marveling at a kendama, not just for its design or playability, but for the story it tells? What is it about collecting these skill toys that transforms them from mere objects to cherished narratives? Welcome to Snarkle Talks, where we find the intersections of kendama and creativity, aiming to expand the view of kendama beyond just the tricks. I'm your host Kellie, the friend who apparently started an entire podcast just to share animal facts.
Today, we're chatting with one of our community's most vibrant and active members, Alex J. Harris. Alex isn't just a key player for Ohana Kendama. He's a cornerstone of the community known for hosting online contests that unite players from across the digital globe.
But before I do the episode intro for Alex, here's a quick Snarkle Talks update to get you in the loop:
First, live from LVKO, we're taking Snarkle Talks on the road. Find us at LVKO with our Snarkle Talks Squawk Box right at the Snarkle Rocks booth. We're buzzing with excitement to try some live recordings, capturing the essence of the events through vibrant interviews with attendees and competitors. These special snippets will be woven together into a full-fledged Snarkle Talks episode set to air after the dust settles. Swing by, share your story, and maybe, just maybe, hear your own voice in one of our upcoming episodes.
Also, introducing Snarketing services. Have you ever thought of starting your own podcast but felt bogged down by the nitty gritty?Or maybe you're looking to spice up your social media presence. Well, we're now offering Snarketing services, a bespoke blend of podcast editing and social media management designed to make your content sparkle. For more details, check out the links below or contact Kelly, me, with all your burning questions. Let's make magic happen.
And finally, a heartfelt thank you. We are three episodes deep into this adventure and it's been nothing short of amazing. A massive shout out to Jack from Occult, Brett and Kelvin from LVKO and Tyler from Art of TB for their incredible insights and sharing their time with us. Your support has been instrumental in bringing this passion project to life and I can't thank all of you enough. To our listeners, your engagement and feedback really means the world to us.
And in that vein, a huge thank you to Alex for being a part of this episode. In this chat, we're delving deep into the world of kendama collecting, a journey that Alex has been navigating with both dedication and a discerning eye. He's here to convince us that collecting these skill toys isn't all about having the flashiest setup in the room. It's about the stories, connections, and memories that each piece represents. Alex shares why building a collection has become a crucial aspect in his Kindama journey, offering insights into the ins, outs, hows, whys, and even tips into the Kindama collecting world. Together, we'll unravel the mysteries of Kendamanomic and dive deep into what's truly worth collecting and balance the scales between emotional and financial investments in this unique hobby.
Plus, Alex gives us a sneak peek into the thriving buy/sell/trade groups that pulsate at the heart of the Kendama Communities Exchange Network, dissecting what value really means in the world of Kendama. So, tighten your strings and prep your tamas because this episode is about to embark on a whirlwind tour of Kendama collectin that's sure to spike your interest. Whether you're a seasoned collector or needed the scene, this conversation is poised to enlighten and inspire. Let's do it.
* peppy upbeat transition music*
Kellie Kawahara-Niimi (04:59.502)
I am gonna ask you to introduce yourself and also, this is a silly one. If you had any liquid that you could just like, out of your finger and it's not water or gasoline,Right? It's gotta be like a fun thing. What would your thing be?
Alex Harris:
All right. So I'm Alex Harris. I'm on Instagram as ajh_kendama. Been playing seriously for just over a year and a half now. And I'm on the Ohana kendama team as of just about a week ago, which is super exciting.
*screech sound*
Kellie:
Ooh, hey. Okay, let me pull the curtain back for a second. We actually recorded this chat with Alex last year, right around the time he was announced as a player for Ohana Kendama. Yeah, yeah, you heard that right, last year. It's taken me a bit of time to get these episodes polished and out into the world, and they're not exactly in the order we recorded them, because, like, life and editing are a whole thing. So, just so you know, Alex has been rocking it with Ohana for quite a bit now. It's like we're time travelers, bringing past conversations back into the present. All right, now let's jump back in time and continue where we left off.
*whoosh sound*
Alex:
And if I could have any liquid pour out of my finger, whatever I wanted, it would probably be root beer. Is it, because I know root beer has, everyone has a different flavor.
Kellie:
Is there a particular one that you like?
Alex:
Plain old A &W, Barks, kind of you name it. I don't discriminate when it comes to root beer.
Kellie:
That's amazing. I love that. I always think the ones that come in bottles, even if they're not fancier, like they are somehow more tasty because they came in a really cute bottle.
Alex:
Yeah. The glass bottles just have something about them that makes it seem so much higher quality.Even if it's just, you know, different colored sugar water.
Kellie Kawahara-Niimi (07:21.646):
It basically is sometimes. Yeah. That's really cool. I love that root beer. Yeah. Okay. So I want to start off today talking about kendama and collecting. I wanted to pick your brain a little bit about what kendama collecting means to you, how you move through that world and navigate it and any tips or tricks that you might have for people who either have too many damas and they want to start selling some of their collection or like really being mindful and thoughtful about what they are buying and how they collect things. And I would love to start us off with your personal journey.
Kellie:
Yeah. So I first, I think I may have seen kendamas or we may even have had a kendama growing up. I'm half Japanese, so there's kind of that Japanese heritage in my family. I've learned recently that my grandma, who was a second generation, or first generation born in the United States, she had a small Japanese gift shop in Southwest Ohio and sold kendamas from Japan at her gift shop way back when, which I think must have been one of the very few places in the United States at that time where kendamas were available. So that's pretty cool. But I didn't really like consciously know about Kendamas until must have been 2016, 2017, when I was in Washington, DC and my daughter who is in middle school now, but was considerably younger then, we went to the Japanese cherry blossom festival.There was a table where they had Kendamas and I thought, oh my gosh, this is so cool. You know, Japanese heritage and I bought one, like a small mini one for my daughter, which I didn't realize at the time that small means much harder. And, uh, she was too young to really do much with it. And I was clearly like more interested than she was. And so shortly thereafter decided I needed to buy a kendama for myself. So that was the very start of it about five, six years ago. And this is the first kendama I ever bought. It's from kendama USA. It's a Natty beach.
*screech sound again*
Kellie Kawahara-Niimi (09:44.43)
Okay, quick pause on the action folks. Picture this. Alex, right now, is holding up a kendama to the camera. It's not just any kendama, but an old one that looks like it's seen a story or two. Now, I know you can't see this through the magic of audio, but don't worry. We're putting together a special video compilation of Alex's collection and you'll get to see this vintage beauty in all its glory among the others.
Keep an eye out for that video dropping soon. It's like a museum tour, but more flips and spikes. Okay, back to Alex.
*whoosh sound*
Alex:
It was the cheapest one they had. I think it was like 10 bucks, which is why I picked this one, not understanding anything whatsoever about kendama. And I learned to do cups and I think I hit a bird on this guy, but that was kind of it for like a number of years. And then this past year and a half, I got a surprise bonus at work. And I was thinking, man, what do I want to do with this bonus that I got? You know, put a lot of it aside, but I want to like splurge it just a little bit. And I decided I want to buy some really nice kendamas. So that's what I did. And that got me hooked. So I bought just a bunch of kendamas, some nicer ones, and got really into both buying kendamas and playing kendama and have been very consistently doing both kind of ever since.
Kellie:
Okay, props for starting on a natty and learning birds like stalls and stuff.
Alex:
Yeah, in retrospect, I'm kind of impressed with myself.
Kellie:
Yeah, I think that's really cool. And so what makes kendama special? Is there something that really draws you to them?
Alex:
Yeah, with kendama, because it's a wooden toy, there's just so much variation, I think, in terms of the shape of the ken, the wood, wood splices, and then on top of that, you add the different designs where you can get so creative. And that is very, and has been very addictive for me when it comes to collecting because there's always some new type of wood or maybe a new type of paint that you haven't tried. And it's still so young that it's not like there's just one clear best paint or best shape. There's constantly a new shape, some new paints coming out. almost every week. And so there's just exciting new things to try. The horizon keeps expanding every day in terms of what's possible.
Kellie Kawahara-Niimi (12:07.758)
Yeah, I think that's one of the things that draws me to it as well. It seems static from the outside, right? It's the same basic shape with the same ball on top. And if you're not paying attention, you wouldn't know that there's so many differences. But...The variability that comes with the different companies that are out there now, all creating out their own different shapes, the different clears, the different sizes, it does feel so dynamic, constantly evolving and interesting. And one of the other things that I think I love is that it's a collectible that you can play. It's not a thing that always just sits on your shelf. It might, but it is a thing that you get to get joy out of by practicing, by doing the thing. Does that make sense?
Alex:
Yeah, no, I think that's exactly right. And in my experience collecting, a big part of what drove my initial accumulation of kendamas was just, I want to try this new shape that looks like it's really good for this trick. It's almost like in a video game where you unlock new abilities or you level up, buying a slightly different shape with maybe more to find stall points suddenly makes you much better at stall tricks. And you're not just adding this to your collection, you're adding to your abilities. You're able to try new tricks and maybe hit them and get more consistent. And that transfers them to other setups that maybe were less forgiving. But now that you've got the muscle memory down with this more forgiving setup, you can, you can do it on these other ones too. And so it's just really cool how, yes, it's interactive. You actually play with it, but also each of these different styles and weights and shapes and paints can actually unlock new abilities that expand your dama playing as a result. Yeah.
Kellie:
Yeah, that's a great point. So when you're now looking at buying something, not past Alex, how do you decide now what you want to buy?
Alex:
That's shifted quite a bit. Originally it was try everything. You know, so now I have over a hundred different Ken shapes and probably over 30 different clears. And that's a lot and represents most of what's currently out there. But now I'm less interested in buying everything in part because you can't keep up. There's so much coming out. But also I know more now what I really like. And so I'm a little bit more selective, more about refining and rounding out the collection and maybe breaking out into some older stuff. So that's a bigger investment. I'm buying a lot fewer brand new drops.
Alex (14:28.206)
As a result, prioritizing spending my kendama money on things that are a little bit more unique and rare. So really shifting my focus there has been where my collection has gone in recent months.
Kellie:
How do you find the rare things? Like, how do you know something is valuable? Yeah. Because the older shapes are not played very often anymore. Yeah. And so knowing this is an old shape or this is a valuable old shape, how do you tell the difference?
Alex:
Yeah, there's so many great resources in the community, people who do go back and who know their history. So Matt Sweets, Christian Frazier, I've seen them commenting and talking about old stuff on the Kendama community Facebook group. Sweets has put out videos on what makes Mugans so unusual and important in Kendama history. And then Downspike, I don't know if it's still active or not, but it's this old message board for a kendama that I was never a part of when it was really active, but Google, you know, trying to find out something about some old kendamas, you'll find old threads, people discussing them, giving some of the history and the context, which is really cool. And then just asking questions of people who've been around a little longer or who have dived a little deeper into the collection. Again, Facebook kendama community is kind of where it's at. I mean, it's also where you'll see things go up for sale. And so all of those are different resources, but you kind of just learn it through observation, through being in the community over time. But it's not being in the community in the sense of if you go to a Kendama event, people are going to be jamming. OG Mugens, probably not. But more being in the online community and being part of those discussions, watching those YouTube videos, and just asking questions. Also, our personal preferences right now that you've learned so much.It's not just what other people tell you is important, but also now what feels relevant and important to you from what you've heard from everybody else.
Kellie:
Given that, do you have a method of this is a shelf piece and this is a sesher? Is there a criteria for you?
Alex (16:46.51):
Yeah, there are kendamas I buy because it's a shape that I really want to play. And everything in them, I bought it because it's beautiful, I bought it because it's unique or it's valuable or it's historic.Those tend to be more the shelf pieces. They don't play quite as well. I don't have anything that I won't hop around on the cups just to try it. None of them are exclusively shelf pieces, but primarily shelf pieces, as opposed to things that I'm sessing, which tends to be more modern shapes and paints.
Kellie:
That makes a lot of sense to me. I do the same thing. I will try to play most of my damas, but some of them are just really beautiful and I like looking at them. Yeah.and it still brings me joy and it still brings me pleasure because it's like art on my shelf. I love looking at it. And then there are the ones that I know that I feel honed on. And those are my daily seshers. And it depends on the trick too. Something that I really want to try, like a certain type of trick and that means it's a certain type of dama. I would love to get your thoughts on how to actually buy sell trade. I would love for you to start with how do you find these communities?
Alex:
The main one is Facebook Kendama Community Group, usually referred to as FKC. And that's where a lot of people will post stuff they have for sale or things that they're trying to find and buy. And then specific types of paints have their own groups. So Friction Clear from Japan has
several active buy sell trade groups.
Kellie:
In these groups, are there specific etiquettes that are involved when you're looking to buy or sell or trade something that people should know about before going in?
Alex:
Yeah, in a lot of these groups, there are rules at a minimum, in addition to a picture of what you're trying to sell or trade, you need to include something in writing that has your name and the day's date on it just to prove that you didn't just steal some photo offline somewhere. So that's one of the bare minimum requirements that a lot of BST buy sell trade groups impose. And then certain groups have other rules as well. In terms of etiquette though, there's probably a little bit more there. Oftentimes people will do legit checks on people because there are people who will not ship things or take money and don't follow through or misrepresent what it is they're selling things like that. So doing legit checks is common to try to make sure other people have interacted with this individual, have successfully completed trades or sales with them. And that can be an important part. And I think someone new to that might either be offended or not understand why people might be wary about building up that legitimacy over time, participating in the group. That sets you up to be more trusted and more successful when it comes to selling or trading.
Kellie:
That makes a lot of sense to me. The legit checks, I think, can rub a person the wrong way if you don't know that that's how the system works. But checks and balances, right?
Alex:
Yeah, because, you know, people can get ripped off for potentially even hundreds of dollars if someone is just trying to make a quick buck. People have been burned.
Kellie:
Say I have a dama that I want to sell, for example, is there a way for me to check how much it's worth in the trading community?
Alex:
In trades, it's a little different because there is just what is someone else willing to trade for that thing. You can say, hey, I have this available for trade. Here are some types of things I'm interested in or here's specific things I'm interested in. And then you just find out if anyone is actually willing to engage in a trade. Just kind of see what happens. When it comes to sales, it varies a little bit based on what you're selling. For certain things, whether it's OG Mugens or Friction Clear Tamas and setups, there's a somewhat understood secondary market price range that varies depending on exactly how rare the specific colorway is. But generally there's a ballpark that most people who've been around for a bit could tell you, yeah, this is gonna go for at least this much unless you get really lucky and someone's letting it go for cheap. And those prices are quite elevated over the retail price.
For everything else, it's typically you look at what the retail price was, especially if it's still available for retail. For me, I'm typically looking at some small discount on retail so that people are actually getting a deal, buying it from me as opposed to buying it somewhere else. And there I'm taking maybe a slight loss, but I'm freeing up funds to reinvest in purchasing something that I want to add to my collection.
Kellie Kawahara-Niimi (21:26.062)
Yeah. I think about Tama's kind of like diamonds. You know, we have cut clarity and there's like woods clears weights.
Alex:
Condition is huge.
Kellie:
And condition and colorway, right? All of these things have to align and the more valuable it is, the more rare some of the ingredients are. I don't know how to say the difference.
Alex:
Yeah, there's all sorts of different factors that go into the value of something. And condition is a big one for a lot of people. I remember when first collecting. I was only interested in things that were brand new. I didn't want things that had dents. Now that doesn't bother me so much because I understand there's going to get dents, it's okay. But among people who are really looking for playability, looking for a specific paint or a specific shape, those people tend to understand there's a range of condition where it really doesn't make a difference and I'm going to pay for that. But also I'm going to get a discount. Again, with the exception of things like OG Mugens and Friction Clear Tamas where even when they're pretty used, they can fetch a high premium. There's just a bigger demand for those.
Kellie:
I think the thing that is really interesting to me about used setups is that if something's already been broken in for me, it is sometimes more fun to play the played tama because like the bevel is just right, you know? The paint got broken in and so there's value in it being imperfect.
Alex:
I think that's totally true and I will get things that are more beat up intentionally sometimes because I can just sesh that. If you have a clear conscience, I definitely do tend to like to not completely thrash my Kedamas. And so having something that's already seshed, I can just play it and not worry about it. That's actually can be really freeing.
Kellie:
The destroy all Damas mantra has been ingrained in me from the beginning and it's still so hard to lean into it.
Alex:
Yeah, I've been destroy some damas or maybe destroy most damas.
Kellie:
That's a great segue into how do you value your collection, both emotionally, your ties to these collections and also monetarily? How do you think of this as an investment?
Alex (23:49.326):
So I value a lot of my kendamas because I think they're beautiful. They play great. They bring me joy. So there's a huge emotional value that I give to them for time. I've definitely invested a fair amount of monetary capital into Kendamas as well. And a lot of those, especially ones that have a real high aftermarket price, retain value pretty well. If I decided to sell them, I could sell them and make money. So Kendama is pretty cool in that way, in that you can collect and for the most part, that collection can retain value. There's quite a bit of Kendamas that don't retain much value so you have to over time learn what does and doesn't. And sometimes things don't have a whole lot of resale value today, but in a couple of years or even a year, there's a cycle to it. So I think over time, there's a fair amount of value if you are willing to be patient. It's really about finding the right person.
Kellie:
I think what you're saying is it's hard to see in the moment what's going to have a long lifespan. Yeah. But if you're patient, you'll be able to see the trends and depending on how you want to collect, collect the things that either retain their value or they are personally valuable to you.
Alex:
Yeah. And so I've reached the point where I have a large enough collection and I know what people are interested in buying that I'm able to sell things to fund purchases of things that I value more or that are more expensive just using my existing collection to create funds for buying new kendamas, which has been really interesting.
Kellie:
Yeah, it's like trading stocks, but not... Yeah. I'm gonna sell these stocks so that I can buy these stocks. Yeah. Where do you think the future of kendama is going, just broadly? And how do you think that's going to affect how we think about collecting? I feel like there's a new renaissance of kendama artists. Yeah. And so how do you think that's going to affect collecting for the future?
Alex:
I think one of the huge things, all of the new shapes and paints provide so much more support. That makes kendama more accessible and fun right out of the gate. But it also raises the ceiling for the insane tricks like the truly great players can do. So it moves kendama as a sport, as a physical art forward in a huge way that I think is leading to more and more people discovering it. You know, we're seeing a whole bunch of new companies, new shapes, new artists, new paints come out. And in many ways that's pushing things forward. It also, I think, makes it harder to really establish yourself and create a long -term, viable business model. And so I think we're in an interesting phase where Kendama as a sport is continuing to expand and reach new horizons.
Alex:
And in terms of what's going to stick around and have sustainability is unclear. What that means for collectors, I think, is there's going to be companies that had great stuff and they're not going to be around in a couple of years. So I think it will lend itself to collectors in some ways, but in a very unpredictable way.
Kellie:
Yeah, I feel that so deeply. The rate in which people rise in popularity and then quickly fade into obscurity is a thing that I've noticed in the kendama business. Yeah. And the lifespan of the kendama company in general seems pretty short. Yeah. There are a few companies that have this staying power and then there's a lot of ins and outs. There's two things that pop in my head. One is to support the brands you love when they're there. Because one, they need you. It's usually one person in their garage doing a thing. Yeah, no. So many of these companies, it's a one person operation. Yeah. And so support the brands that you love while you can, while they're there, because they need you and they love you. And that leads into, you have a surplus. You become a person who not just reps a brand, but like you have all of these resources. When that brand no longer exists, you still have an inventory to pull from for yourself or for other people.
Alex:
Yeah, it's true. And certain kendamas do demand a premium. But like making things available to people, or it's like, I've used this, I've loved it, or this isn't for me, but I know it would be like so great for someone else. And to make that available at a reasonable price to someone who maybe doesn't have the option of trying that because it's no longer available for sale for whatever reason.
Alex (28:26.862)
That's such a cool thing. It has been so fun for me when I do sell to a bunch of people who've never tried these new shapes, just like blowing their mind because it's so different. That's so cool. It's really so fun to share the joy and then also to just give things away so that if someone shows interest, I can just, you know, give them a kendama. And that's something that I know a ton of people do in the community. And it's so fun. It's such a great way to expand the community and just to spread joy. the joy of kendama, which is super cool.
Kellie:
I love that we do that. I absolutely love and adore that we want so badly to share kendama with people that we're like, just take it, just take it. Yeah. It's so much fun. It's going to bring you so many things. It's going to cost you a lot of money later when you really get into it. Trust me.
Kellie Kawahara-Niimi (29:21.582)
Is there anything that feels really important to you about collecting, about how you collect or anything that we talked about today that you wanted to bring up? Yeah. I think what I was just talking about, the generosity of keeping the love in the community and in our interactions. I've received just like so much support and love from the community. And I'm always trying to give that back. I think doing that increases the joy of Kendama because that community is such a big part of what makes Kendama such a special thing for so many of us. But I think even from a collecting standpoint, that type of kindness consideration goes such a long way to making it a safe place to collect, a safe place for people to discover new paints and shapes and things that they haven't tried yet, especially newer players. And we all have to do our part to keep it that way.
Kellie:
Yeah. I think that innate generosity that comes from the people in the community that show up is something that feels so special. And it would be really hard to lose that. And so the reminder to be generous and kind and thoughtful to other people is always a really great reminder.
Kellie:
Will you tell people where they can find you if you want to be found?
Alex:
Yeah. If you join any of the Facebook groups that we've talked about, especially Facebook Kendama community. You'll see me on there because I do post and comment regularly. And then also on Instagram is where you'll find my tricks and contests and other collaborations that I've done. And that's at AJH_Kendama. Those are the two places to find pretty much all my Kendama content.
Kellie:
Thank you so much. And I would love to have you back because I have so many more questions about so many other things.
Alex:
I would love that. Thank you so much, Kellie. This was super fun.
*transitoin music bumps*
Kellie Kawahara-Niimi (31:49.294):
And just like that, we've come to the end of another whirlwind adventure here at Snarkle Talks. A huge shout out to Alex Harris for joining us today and sharing his incredible journey and insights into the art and heart of kendama collecting. It's clear for Alex and for many of us, it's not just about the flashiest kendama, but the stories and connections that each piece holds.
Be sure to check out Alex's page and support Ohana Kendama. They're doing fantastic work to keep our community vibrant and tightly knit. Descriptions will have all of the links that you need. Thank you to our listeners for tuning in and riding the wave of creativity in Kendama with us. If today's chat struck a chord or if it even just entertained you during your coffee break, we'd love for you to share the love.
Rate and review Snarkle Talks wherever you get your podcast fix. Tell your friends, your family, your enemies, your kendamas. They're all part of the Snarkle family now.
Before we part ways, let's not forget the Snarkle Talks updates. We're jazzed about hitting LVKO with the Snarkle Talks Squawk Box, so come find us and share your story. And for those budding podcasters or social media stars, our Snarketing services are here to make your content pop. Check the links below or hit my DMs for deets.
In honor of Alex's love of root beer, did you know that the original root beer was primarily made with the root of the sassafras tree? However, sassafras was later found to contain saffrole, a substance believed to be carcinogenic, and its use in food products was banned by the FDA in the 1960s. Today's root beer is saffron free with manufacturers using artificial flavors and extracting the flavor from the sassafras root without the saffron in it. Saffron, saffro -lay, saffro -lee.
Anyway, thanks again for listening to Snarkle Talks, where we dig into the quirky intersections of kendama and creativity. Until next time, don't flip your lid, flip your kendama. Bye!
Kellie Kawahara-Niimi (33:54.766)
Snarkle Talks is brought to you by Kellie Kawahara Niimi, generally in charge of things and speaker of many words. Seth Niimi, producer and probably not imaginary co -host. And Rae Maxwell Ross, producer, sound editor and goblin. Music for Snarkle Talks is R .S .P. by Pow Music.