Kendamas Take Over LHS

You can hear the clicks and clacks everywhere. Kendamas aren’t just trending toys, but an item of obsession for students. Due to their popularity, there is a new debate on whether kendamas are distracting students from their education.

“Students are enamored in achieving difficult kendama moves rather than school work”, says Jon Shigaki, digital video technology teacher. Disappointedly, Shigaki noticed that the quality of his students' work dropped since they are more interested in playing with their kendamas. 

Marc Watasaki, a transitions-to-high-school teacher agrees, stating that kendamas “take peoples’ focus on their studies” since they tend to get distracted and use their class time to work on assignments unwisely. 

Whether kendamas are an issue remains to be seen. They are so prevalent right now, however, that many wonder if they are a positive tool for students looking to blow off some stress or a distraction.

Originating during the 17th or 18th centuries, Kendamas are versions of a classic Japanese cup-and-ball game. It consists of a handle (ken), ball (tama), and three cups (sarado) that are all connected with a string. The ken (handle) consists of a sarado on one end while the other end of the ken forms a spike (kenasaki) that fits the tama. Although kendamas started as a simple toy, hallways and classrooms are now filled with them because students enjoy challenging each other with their skills. 

Teachers have noticed this recent trend has been especially disrupting during class time.

“Just the noise that it makes, it’s very distracting”, explains Zachary Bularon, a long-term substitute. Bularon often moves from class to class and he realizes that the clicking and clacking of a kendama affects nearby students. 

“It should be contraband,” said Bularon. 

Nolan Redaus, a freshman, concurs. The “loud clacking noise and swinging movements distract me,” he claims. 

Carlitobv Lopez, a freshman, has noticed how annoying his kendama has become to others. During class time, more teachers “tell me to put it away.”

Although teachers believe that kendamas distract students from their school work, students think otherwise. Abram Castro, a freshman, thinks kendamas help him “throughout the day because I get to take my mind off of working.” 

Because of the pressure that is being put on students, kendamas "relieve stress especially from school work”, explained Walter Sunio, a freshman. John Paul Yabo, a sophomore, agreed: “it not only acts a distraction…but also a fidget in a way.” 

Another problem has followed distraction. Some students are stealing kendamas, claims Watasaki, who thinks that this could lead to a “crime life” as it influences students to steal each others’ kendamas. He believes that this further shows why teachers should consider taking them away. 

Regardless of whether or not students understand the distraction or effects kendamas cause, they cannot separate themselves from “an addictive toy,” as Yabo calls it. 

Even though it is an addictive thing for students, “it gives me the opportunity of less screen time during class hours”, says Redaus. Jane Francis, a long-term math substitute, agrees. At least “they don’t use their phones a lot and they use their brain and hands.”