Rank 一 · Novice

Base Cup

中皿 · Nakazara

The middle cup — the ball must settle between both rims.

Difficulty Rung 4 of 5 on the Novice ladder

The middle cup sits between the two big ones, and the ball has to settle between its rims. A different kind of precision — and the most common stumbling block in every around.

How it's done

  1. 一

    Hold the ken so the base cup faces up, spike pointing away from you.

  2. 二

    Toss the ball straight up.

  3. 三

    Slide the cup under the ball and let it settle between both rim edges.

  4. 四

    Keep the ken perfectly level — any tilt spills the ball.