In Japan alone, there are countless types of koma, and the way they are played and their shapes differ from country to country. This page introduces the Spintop used by the players participating in this year's contest.
Basically, tops played with strings will play a leading role in this contest.Finger spin top is not main top.
Japan
Koma for freestyle
Many people think of wooden tops when they think of playing with koma, but because the natural material was often shaky, it was necessary to "screen" to find the best pieces. In recent years, Spin Gear has used yo-yo manufacturing techniques to create high-precision koma by machining them on a CNC lathe, and there has been much development in the types of techniques and the number of moves that can be performed in one rotation. The flat, long, iron core shape of the original Hakata Dokugaku, which originated in Hakata, Japan about 400 years ago, has developed into a shape unique to Japan, and has given rise to a number of unique techniques that can only be played with Japanese koma.
In recent years, the number of techniques has exploded as information about foreign koma (spinning tops) has come in, and not only transplants of techniques, but also styles that take advantage of the qualities of Japanese koma and develop foreign techniques have appeared.
Chonkakekoma
Chonkakekoma, a Higo koma, is an intangible cultural asset of Kumamoto City. It is said that the history of Chonkake dates back more than 400 years, and that there was a time when it was played as a favorite pastime of samurai families. The string is used to rotate and accelerate the koma, and a skilled player can spin the koma for a long time. However, it is also a game that requires stamina and concentration because it requires continuous movement. The shape of the koma is unique to Kyushu, Japan, and is rarely seen in other countries.
Spintop
The iron part is short and only the tip is made of steel, and the center of gravity is high, making it similar to a round bar. In most countries, this shape is used as the base for throwing a koma with a string.
In recent years, bearing-equipped models have been introduced, allowing for longer spinning time, and many techniques have been developed that are influenced by yo-yo techniques.
Trompo
It is basically the same as the SpinTop, but it is in Spanish. In Spanish-speaking countries such as Mexico and Colombia, plastic spinning tops are popularly played with plastic spinning tops, while wooden spinning tops are popularly played with wooden spinning tops in Spain.
Wooden trompo in Spain, the trompo suzerain country
There are professional circus artists who make and perform their own koma and sell them to make a living.
@embaldufats Catalina & Xisco #baldufa #trompo #trottola #spintop #spintoptricks #peonza ♬ Evil Morty (From "Rick and Morty") - Andrew Seoul