Some of you will remember this immediately. Others will have no idea what you're looking at and that's exactly why I'm bringing it back.
Jokari was a paddle game invented in France in the late 1930s, and by the 50s and 60s it was everywhere, a wooden base, a ball on a long elastic cord, two paddles, and hours of backyard rallies that never needed a net or a court.
Then, sometime in the 90s, it quietly disappeared from stores. 

If you grew up with one, you probably haven't seen it in decades.


Why I'm Building This
The same way I went looking for authentic, handmade espadrilles twenty years ago, I went looking for a real Jokari, not a flimsy plastic version, but one built the way it shouldbe.

That search took two years: the right elastic cord, sourced from Spain, the only one I found that gave the ball the right snap and rebound; and a proper Canadian-made ball to match it.

The base is solid reclaimed wood, built right here at home,yes, that's me at the drill press in my own backyard. Every piece is being made and assembled by hand, by me and my
family, the same way we've always done things at DIEGOS®.

Limited Edition. Numbered. Made in Canada.
This isn't going to be an open-ended product. I'm making exactly 999, each one individually numbered and stamped,
yours, and no one else's. Once they're gone, that's it.

What's Next
I'm finishing the last batch of bases now, along with a small printed certificate of authenticity that comes with each set, game rules included, so if it's been a few decades, you can relearn the rhythm of it.
Replacement balls, elastics, and paddles will be available separately too, because a game
this good deserves to last.
It'll be living in our Spanish Gifts section on diegos.com, right alongside the rest of the things we love and make ourselves.
If you remember playing Jokari, or you just like the idea of owning something this rare and well made, keep an eye out. It's almost ready.

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