Miya Song is a Kendama USA Tribe member, living in Oahu, Hawaii. Not only is she one of best female players in the game, she’s also an artist and is known for her Strawberry mark when signing damas!
Listen & enjoy this mellow & humorous interview with the one and only, Miya Song.
Special thanks:
Molly Harney (null)
Haley Bishoff (null)
Miya Song (@_Miyasong)
Jack Baker – Production (@freewheelinfilm)
KendamaUSA – Premiere Sponsor (null)
Click Clack Radio (null)
Don’t forget to use the code “CLICKCLACK” to get 10% off your order at www.KendamaUSA.com
The Keyaki is part of the Hardwood collection from Ozora. They Keyaki has a crazy grain and nice weight. I love the sound of the taps and the overall play of this kendama.
One of the major things I noticed about the Keyaki is that the spike is tough as nails. I abused it like crazy and its still sharp as the first day I got it. Its just nice to hold a Kendama %100 from Japan. There is a feeling of pride when you hold a Keyaki. Proud to be part of Kendama.
Brandon sent us this article that was featured in the Bowling Green Daily News. Props, and great article! You can view the Bowling Green Daily News at their website.
Props to Alex Slitz for the photo too! Great shot.
In November 2011, Kendama USA hosted the first ever Dama Fest. Kendama enthusiasts from all over the country, and even Europe came to Atlanta GA for this amazing event. Huge thanks to everybody who showed up and helped support it. This includes the Kengarden, Ozora, Sweets, Deal with It, SourMash, Saga, and of course Kendama USA and Tribute Kendamas. Congratulations to all the winners, and our first champion Sebastian Orrego. Hope to see you there next year.
The Artist Series is a new project here at Kendama USA. Our goal is to collaborate with talented artists to create Kendamas that are hand painted at a high quality level that could never be duplicated in mass production. We love working with artists and this series was a natural step that we are absolutely thrilled about. These Kendamas are truly one-of-a-kind pieces of art. The hardest part is deciding if you want to put it in a display case, or actually risk playing with it!
We are honored to have Ube Urban collaborate with us on our first ever Artist Series. Ube is a highly skilled industrial designer/painter, and owner of Ube’s Icecream Shop in San Francisco, CA. He is highly sought after for custom paint jobs, and has made quite a name for himself in the Kendama community. All the custom Kendamas in this series are hand painted by Ube himself. There are no duplicates made of the Artist Series designs, so “limited edition” would be an understatement. There is 1 of each. As soon as it’s gone, it’s gone, and the next custom design will be available in it’s place. The intricate detail Ube puts into his work is difficult to capture in photographs or video, and needs to be seen in real life to truly appreciate all the small features.
The 3rd release is a classy wooden Ozora titled “Sea Foam Breeze”. This 2 tone tama has a smooth, subtle fade from light blue to sea foam green. You can almost feel the pacific breeze wafting in from San Francisco bay into Ube’s custom shop. His precision painting style will make a great addition to your Kendama collection.
We must stress that these are Kendamas are pieces of art, and are not intended to be children’s toys. The Artist Series Kendamas use several different materials and paints that are not considered “toy-safe” by US toy standards. Please enjoy your artwork responsibly.
Artist Series purchases are non-refundable, and shares of the profits go directly to the artist. Every purchase includes the Artist Series Kendama, an extra string, framed original sketches, and a framed autographed photo.
We can’t begin to tell you how excited we are about Dama Fest!!! This is the first Kendama event hosted by Kendama USA, and we are working hard to make it one to remember!!
WHERE? WHEN?
Dama Fest will be held inside the Gallery Room, at the Cobb Galleria Center, on Saturday November 19th, 2011. This is a great location north of Downtown Atlanta, and easily accessible from Canton, Woodstock, Alpharetta, and of course Atlanta. It’s at the intersection of I-75 and I-285, and the full address is 2 Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339. It’s also next door to the Cumberland Mall, so your parents can do some holiday shopping while you’re getting your Dama on. The doors open at 10am, and close at 5pm. Don’t be late, as you won’t want to miss a moment.
ITS FREE!?!? NO WAY!!!
YES! We are so thankful for all the Kendama enthusiasm and support we’ve received, and this is our chance to give something back. There will be no charge to attend Dama Fest. Parking? Also FREE. You may not want to come empty handed though, because we will have lots of Kendama specials, sales, and some brand new Dama-goodness exclusively at this event. If you choose to enter the main event, there may be a small entry fee. We are still working out those details and will update ASAP.
WHAT TO EXPECT
FUN, FUN, and more FUN. The best Kendama players in the country will be attending, including the entire Kendama USA Pro Team. More players keep contacting us telling us they bought a plane ticket, or that they are road tripping to Atlanta. The list keeps growing! There will be Kendama challenges, games, and giveaways. Unbelievable raffle prizes. Great music. Custom Damas. Plenty more. Our main event will be a unique contest hosted by Jake Wiens of the Kengarden, and the infamous Dave Mateo.
SUPPORTERS
We are really thankful to those helping to make this event happen. Kendama is a great tool to bring together a community, and this event is no exception. Big thanks go to Jake Wiens at the Kengarden, the entire Ozora family, Tyler Marshall at the Kensession Stand, Ryan “OhSnapKid” Purcell, and of course the Kendama USA staff and Team.
If you’re interested in supporting the event, please contact us. If you have ideas about how to make this great event even better, we want to hear them!!!
REGISTRATION
Just show up! There is no registration required to attend Dama Fest, however it would be a huge help to us if you will RSVP on our Facebook Page if you plan to attend. You can RSVP on our Facebook page by clicking HERE. If you plan to enter the main event, you will need to register at the event, and we will have more details about this soon.
HOW TO GET THERE:
If Traveling Northbound on I-75 (or coming from Atlanta Airport):
If traveling north on I-75 take Exit 258/Cumberland Boulevard. Go west on Cumberland Boulevard to the fourth traffic light at Cobb Parkway/US 41. Turn right on Cobb Parkway and go 7/10ths of a mile (5 traffic lights) to Galleria Drive. Turn right onto Galleria Drive. The Cobb Galleria Centre’s main (rotunda) entrance is located immediately on the right. An additional parking facility is located directly across Galleria Drive.
If Traveling Southbound on I-75:
If traveling south on I-75 take Exit 258/Cumberland Boulevard. Go west on Cumberland Boulevard to the fourth traffic light at Cobb Parkway/US 41. Turn right on Cobb Parkway and go 7/10ths of a mile (5 traffic lights) to Galleria Drive. Turn right onto Galleria Drive. The Cobb Galleria Centre’s main (rotunda) entrance is located immediately on the right. An additional parking facility is located directly across Galleria Drive.
Directions from I-285 Eastbound:
If traveling east on I-285 take Exit 19/Cobb Parkway/US 41. At the end of the exit ramp turn right onto Cobb Parkway and move into the left-hand turning lane. At the first traffic light turn left onto Galleria Drive. The Cobb Galleria Centre’s main (rotunda) entrance is located immediately on the right. An additional parking facility is located directly across Galleria Drive.
Directions from I-285 Westbound:
If traveling west on I-285 take Exit 20/Cobb Parkway/US 41. Continue to exit using the lane marked Cobb Parkway. At the traffic light at the end of the exit ramp turn left onto Cobb Parkway and go under I-285. Make a left hand turn at the second traffic light onto Galleria Drive. The Cobb Galleria Centre’s main (rotunda) entrance is located immediately on the right. An additional parking facility is located directly across Galleria Drive.
Directions to the Gallery Room:
The Gallery Room is located adjacent to the Cobb Galleria Centre inside the Galleria Specialty Shops and across from Jocks and Jills restaurant. On Galleria Drive, pass the main entrance to Cobb Galleria Centre and turn right at the second driveway. Park in the parking deck and look for the sign for Jocks and Jills.
Parking
There are more than 2,000 complimentary parking spaces on site. Parking can be found at three main parking decks. A two-level and four-level deck can be accessed from the main (rotunda) entrance to Cobb Galleria Centre, while a five-level deck is located directly across Galleria Drive. This parking deck has an underground tunnel on the 2nd level with direct access to the front entrance of Cobb Galleria Centre. Use this tunnel in order to avoid traffic while crossing the street and also to protect yourself from inclement weather.
