Stripe Zen by Kendama Co: The Iconic Kendama Rebuilt for Modern Play
Few kendamas have influenced modern play as much as the Stripe Zen. Originally released by Kendama Co in the early 2010s, the Stripe Zen quickly became the most iconic kendama lineup in the brand’s history. Its thin horizontal stripes, clean look, and and variety of color options made it stand out amongst other designs at the time. Now in 2025, the Stripe Zen has returned with modern materials, upgraded paint, and a redesigned shape that blends classic feel with today’s performance demands.
The original Stripe Zens were introduced during a turning point in kendama design. Before they existed, Kendama Co and most other brands sold solid color kendamas, which was the industry standard. At the time, most players were using traditional Japanese style kendamas that were heavily influenced by brands like Ozora, TK16, Shin Fuji, and Mugen. These kendamas were typically single colored, had glossy paint that was very slippery, and used beech wood kens paired with cherry tamas. While they were well made, they were not optimized for the increasingly technical tricks players were beginning to explore.
As kendama grew in popularity, players needed better visual tracking, more grip, and more forgiving shapes. The Stripe Zen answered that call by being one of the first designs to introduce horizontal stripes on the tama. These stripes made it easier to track the rotation of the ball and spot the hole easier. Today, stripe, half split, and fade designs are considered essential, but the Stripe Zen was one of the early pioneers of this visual tracking revolution.
Paint technology was also evolving during this time. Early Stripe Zens were produced with glossy paint that was slippery out of the box but broke in nicely over time. In 2015, Kendama Co produced Stripe Zens in Taiwan using a sticky paint that offered much more grip. In 2025, that evolution continues with modern sticky paint that is both durable and grippy, giving players the quality and control they expect from a high performance kendama.
The 2025 Stripe Zen also features major upgrades to the ken. The original beech wood has been replaced with maple, which is stronger, more durable, and more consistent. The ken is now CNC manufactured, resulting in higher quality and precision, with an unfinished feel that provides extra texture and grip in the hand.
The Zen shape itself was carefully redesigned to honor the past while improving playability. The sarado shape, ring stall, and handlestall remain very traditional, giving the kendama an old school feel. At the same time, the overall size of the cups and ken has been increased for modern tricking. Unlike most modern kendamas, the Zen shape has no basecup hole. This is a deliberate choice to preserve the original Kendama Co style. With the 2025 Zen Shape, instead of removing weight from the base cup with a hole, lunar balance is achieved by adding extra weight to the sarado and slimming up the ken's spike. The center of the sarado is kept thick, the small cup is increased proportionately while still staying smaller than the big cup, and the cup rims are made very thick for added durability. Additionally, we kept the spike slimmer below the cups with a deeper base cup, as well as a thinner handle stall to reduce weight in the basecup area without needing the lunar balance hole, which is rare in 2025.
The result is a kendama that feels both nostalgic and modern. The Stripe Zen offers excellent tracking, grippy paint, great lunar balance, durable maple construction, all in a shape that pays tribute to the roots of American kendama. It is a true all around kendama designed for players who want quality, history, and simplicity in one setup.
By choosing a Stripe Zen, players are not only getting a high quality kendama, they are also supporting Kendama Co’s mission to grow the kendama community. Kendama Co supports events, players, and the culture that keeps the sport thriving. The Stripe Zen is more than a product. It is a symbol of where kendama has been and where it is going next.