Kendama catches on

Daniel Robinson exhibits his kendama skills to children at the Boys and Girls Club on Aug. 9, in Mead. Dan Pelle, SR photo

Within minutes of walking into the Lisa Stiles-Gyllenhammer Boys and Girls Club in Mead, kids surround Daniel Robinson, 23.

They swarm him, shouting his name, waving their hands and asking for autographs.

No, Robinson isn’t a rock star or a professional athlete, but for local kids who love kendama, he’s the closest thing they’ve got to a celebrity.

Kendama, a traditional Japanese toy, has taken the nation by storm. The ball and cup game offers hours of fun – enough fun to lure kids away from video games, and enough to make Robinson a hero to the kids at the Boys and Girls Club. Read more . Cindy Hval, SR

Are you familiar with kendama? Have you tried it?