Where do some of the best yo-yoers go to practice? Apparently they go to a park just outside of Tokyo. I spent a few hours photographing three young yo-yo experts while they practiced the art of the yo-yo.
Former world yo-yo champion Takumi Nagase practices in a park in Kawaguchi using two yo-yos, his specialty.
Nagase, who won the world yo-yo championship in 1999, is also an accomplished skateboarder.
Tsubasa Onishi, who won the world yo-yo championship in 2010, practices with two yo-yos.
Onishi is famous for tricks in which his yo-yo is not connected to his string, letting the yo-yo sail through the air attached to nothing. However, he still uses a string to toss and catch the yo-yo.
Nagase and Onishi are practicing ahead of a local competition organized by Kota Watanabe, center.
Nagase shows off the simple inside of his yo-yo. The yo-yoers take care of their tools, oiling them and using different types of string for different situations. Additionally, different styles of yo-yos are used for different types of tricks.
Onishi surprises Nagase when he flings a yo-yo close to Nagase’s face as he rests on his skateboard.
Nagase, Onishi and Watanabe relax with skateboards and yo-yos while background music plays from an iPod.