Ema Kawakami
Age: 9
Home country: Japan
Special skill: Skateboarding!
Hi there, I’m Ema and I hold the world record for the most backside 540 skateboard tricks in one minute, with 8 jumps! My love for skateboarding even took me all the way to Milan, Italy, to perform on the TV talent show Lo Show dei Record, in front of a large crowd. 😎
It all started when...
I was just 5 years old!
I instantly fell in love with it and, within half a year, I even competed in my first skateboarding tournament.
I don’t have a lot of recollection of it, but I remember everyone was getting excited and I sure was having fun. 🛹
A few years later, I became kind of… famous, when my dad made a video of me landing an amazing trick: a 2-and-a-half spin jump called a "900"!
This trick is so cool and my skateboarding hero, Tony Hawk, was the first to land it over 20 years ago. 🤯
In fact, after that Tony Hawk himself followed me on social media…
I couldn’t believe it!
My experience on Lo Show dei Record...
What an adventure… Everything was fun because I’d never been overseas before! 🌎
Although I felt nervous in front of the camera, everyone was kind and I made some new skateboarding friends.
During the attempt I did 8 jumps inside a halfpipe, and each jump had to last 1‑and‑a‑half rotations, while I gripped the board with one hand behind my back. 🤸
It all ended really quickly… I wish I could’ve skated more.
It was also fun exploring Milan on trains and buses – I definitely want to return someday!
Becoming a pro skateboarder
Becoming good at the sport you love is not easy – it takes work and patience!
I practise 4 or 5 times a week, and each session lasts about 3-4 hours. 🥵
During the attempt, when I was continuously performing 540s on the vertical ramp, it was less about how much I could spin and more about not getting too dizzy!
Skateboarding for me became even more fun because I get to visit different places in Japan, and meeting a lot of friends outside of Japan.
What’s your favourite sport?
Fun facts about me
I don’t just practise skateboarding, I also like to watch videos online to learn new techniques and get inspired by the best of the best:
- Tony Hawk
- Shaun White
- Gui Khury
- Pierre-Luc Gagnon
They all have difficult tricks that they’ve created themselves, and I want to do the same sort of things they’ve achieved!
I also like watching… rap battles!
Me and my younger brother sometimes challenge each other to rap battles – I think I’m getting quite good. 😎
I really advise people to skate with your friends. It’s more fun than doing it by yourself, and it’s great to make friends at the park.
Ema Kawakami
Winning first place at the 2023 WINGRAM CUP
That was such an awesome experience!
It was the first time that I’d entered a vertical contest, so I didn’t expect to win.
As I knew that Gui Khury would be there, I put the 900 in my routine so I could perform it in front of him.
I was just very happy that it worked out. 🙏