Japanese bondage
Encyclopedia
means 'tight binding which literally means 'the beauty of tight binding'. Kinbaku (also Sokubaku, bakujojutsu, and senyojo jutsu) is a Japan
ese style of bondage
or BDSM
which involves tying up the bottom
using simple yet visually intricate patterns, usually with several pieces of thin rope
–often jute
and generally around 6 mm in diameter, but sometimes as small as 4mm, and between 7m-8m long). In Japanese, this rope is known as 'asanawa'. The Japanese vocabulary does not make a distinction between hemp and jute. Dictionaries will usually translate the word 'asa' as hemp and 'nawa' as rope. However, this rope is not hemp rope, but jute rope: the allusion is to the use of hemp rope for restraining prisoners, as a symbol of power. In Japan very few bondage practitioners, if any, use hemp rope. Though jute and hemp may belong to the same family of fibers, and they both have good properties for holding knots and for not stretching, they do differ in looks, weight and especially in smell.
The word shibari came into common use in the West at some point in the 1990s to describe the bondage art Kinbaku. is a Japanese word that literally means "to tie" or "to bind". It is used in Japan to describe the artful use of twine to tie objects or packages.
of the bound person's position is important: in particular, Japanese bondage is distinguished by its use of specific katas (forms) and aesthetic rules. Sometimes, asymmetric and often intentionally uncomfortable positions are employed, often giving choice of two 'evils' (two uncomfortable positions to choose between by moving in the ropes) to heighten the psychological impact of the bondage. In particular, Japanese bondage is very much about the way the rope is applied and the pleasure is more in the journey than the destination. In this way the rope becomes an extension of the tiers hands and is used to communicate.
Traditional Japanese bondage techniques use natural vegetable fiber rope (hemp
, jute
, or linen
) exclusively, though contemporary Japanese Masters have been working with synthetic fiber rope. The natural fibers easily lock to each other which means the bondage can be held together by the friction of twists and turns or very simple knots. Traditionally, multiple 7-8 meter lengths are used.
Western styles use natural fiber (though often dyed for aesthetic color variation) or synthetic fiber ropes, which have become integrated over the years. Cotton was used early on, then nylon became popular in the 1980s or 1990s, followed by multi-filament polypropylene
(MFP) ropes. The variety offers a choice of different textures and skin sensations, though knot choices become more complex because of the slippery nature of synthetic ropes. Western full-body bondage tends to use a variety of lengths and often very complex decorative knots.
Kinbaku, with its roots firmly in Japan, has gained popularity across the world. Kinbaku implies "kokoro"; heart, spirit, mind and cannot be reached by skills of ropes/knots alone.
According to several sources, bondage as a sexual activity first came to notice in Japan in the late Edo period
. Generally recognized as "father of Kinbaku" is Seiu Ito
, who started studying and researching Hojojutsu
in 1908 and turned it into an art form. Kinbaku became widely popular in Japan in the 1950s through magazines such as Kitan Club, which published the first naked bondage photographs. In the 1960s, Eikechi Osada brought performance bondage to the public eye.
In recent years, Kinbaku has become popular in the Western BDSM
scene in its own right and has also profoundly influenced bondage, combining to produce many 'fusion' styles.
(a type of arm box tie), which forms the basis of most Kinbaku ties, and the Ebi, or "Shrimp", which was originally designed as a torture tie but today makes the subject vulnerable for more pleasant forms of play
.
Hojojutsu uses rope in varying lengths. The hon-nawa came in lengths of 13, 11, 9, 7, and 5 fathoms. The hayanawa was 2 and a half fathoms. The length of the kaginawa was not fixed. The length of one kaginawa in Nawa's collection is given as 13 shaku; a shaku is almost exactly one English foot. The ropes came in four colors, the significance of which changed over time.
Generally speaking, Kinbaku is practiced with ropes of 7–8 meters (23 ft) in length. Due to the generally different physique of Western subjects, 8 meter (26 ft) ropes are commonly used in the West. The rope material is usually hemp
(but sometimes sisal
or jute
), prepared according to specific techniques to achieve a pleasantly soft yet sturdy rope. Other materials are also sometimes used, although the use of most synthetic ropes tends to be frowned upon by Western tiers.
For historic reasons, earlier forms (Ryu) of Kinbaku use very few knots, sometimes none at all, or only a cow hitch
or an overhand knot
. According to Sensei Nawa Yumio in his 1964 classic book on Torinawa, knots on a person was regarded as extremely disgraceful, something some would regard as worse than death. Restraints with no knots were not considered "bondage" and there was no shame in such; therefore, "wrappings" were used.
Topics in Japanese bondage include:
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese style of bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
or BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
which involves tying up the bottom
Bottom (BDSM)
In BDSM, a bottom or submissive is the partner in a BDSM relationship or a BDSM scene who takes the passive, receiving, or obedient role, to that of the top or dominant....
using simple yet visually intricate patterns, usually with several pieces of thin rope
Rope
A rope is a length of fibres, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength...
–often jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
and generally around 6 mm in diameter, but sometimes as small as 4mm, and between 7m-8m long). In Japanese, this rope is known as 'asanawa'. The Japanese vocabulary does not make a distinction between hemp and jute. Dictionaries will usually translate the word 'asa' as hemp and 'nawa' as rope. However, this rope is not hemp rope, but jute rope: the allusion is to the use of hemp rope for restraining prisoners, as a symbol of power. In Japan very few bondage practitioners, if any, use hemp rope. Though jute and hemp may belong to the same family of fibers, and they both have good properties for holding knots and for not stretching, they do differ in looks, weight and especially in smell.
The word shibari came into common use in the West at some point in the 1990s to describe the bondage art Kinbaku. is a Japanese word that literally means "to tie" or "to bind". It is used in Japan to describe the artful use of twine to tie objects or packages.
Differences between Western and Japanese styles
The aestheticsAesthetics
Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...
of the bound person's position is important: in particular, Japanese bondage is distinguished by its use of specific katas (forms) and aesthetic rules. Sometimes, asymmetric and often intentionally uncomfortable positions are employed, often giving choice of two 'evils' (two uncomfortable positions to choose between by moving in the ropes) to heighten the psychological impact of the bondage. In particular, Japanese bondage is very much about the way the rope is applied and the pleasure is more in the journey than the destination. In this way the rope becomes an extension of the tiers hands and is used to communicate.
Traditional Japanese bondage techniques use natural vegetable fiber rope (hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
, jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
, or linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
) exclusively, though contemporary Japanese Masters have been working with synthetic fiber rope. The natural fibers easily lock to each other which means the bondage can be held together by the friction of twists and turns or very simple knots. Traditionally, multiple 7-8 meter lengths are used.
Western styles use natural fiber (though often dyed for aesthetic color variation) or synthetic fiber ropes, which have become integrated over the years. Cotton was used early on, then nylon became popular in the 1980s or 1990s, followed by multi-filament polypropylene
Polypropylene
Polypropylene , also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, textiles , stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes...
(MFP) ropes. The variety offers a choice of different textures and skin sensations, though knot choices become more complex because of the slippery nature of synthetic ropes. Western full-body bondage tends to use a variety of lengths and often very complex decorative knots.
Kinbaku, with its roots firmly in Japan, has gained popularity across the world. Kinbaku implies "kokoro"; heart, spirit, mind and cannot be reached by skills of ropes/knots alone.
History
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. Generally recognized as "father of Kinbaku" is Seiu Ito
Seiu Ito
, also romanised as Seiyu Itoh was a Japanese painter, recognised today as "the father of modern kinbaku"...
, who started studying and researching Hojojutsu
Hojojutsu
Hojōjutsu or Nawajutsu, is the traditional Japanese martial art of restraining a person using cord or rope.Encompassing many different materials, techniques and methods from many different schools, Hojojutsu is a quintessentially Japanese art that is a unique product of Japanese history and...
in 1908 and turned it into an art form. Kinbaku became widely popular in Japan in the 1950s through magazines such as Kitan Club, which published the first naked bondage photographs. In the 1960s, Eikechi Osada brought performance bondage to the public eye.
In recent years, Kinbaku has become popular in the Western BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
scene in its own right and has also profoundly influenced bondage, combining to produce many 'fusion' styles.
Technique
Kinbaku is based on fairly specific rope patterns, most of them derived from Hojojutsu ties. Of particular importance are the Ushiro TakatekoteUshiro Takatekote
is the basic or foundational form of binding the arms and breasts, in which the arms and hands are bound behind the back. The term Ushiro Takatekote is made up of two Japanese words: 後ろ which means "behind the back" and 高手小手 which means "bound hands and arms"...
(a type of arm box tie), which forms the basis of most Kinbaku ties, and the Ebi, or "Shrimp", which was originally designed as a torture tie but today makes the subject vulnerable for more pleasant forms of play
Play (BDSM)
"Play" is the term given to taking part in a BDSM scene. It is a deliberate use of the word's ambiguous meaning - suggesting both a Play in the literary sense and Play in the child-like sense...
.
Hojojutsu uses rope in varying lengths. The hon-nawa came in lengths of 13, 11, 9, 7, and 5 fathoms. The hayanawa was 2 and a half fathoms. The length of the kaginawa was not fixed. The length of one kaginawa in Nawa's collection is given as 13 shaku; a shaku is almost exactly one English foot. The ropes came in four colors, the significance of which changed over time.
Generally speaking, Kinbaku is practiced with ropes of 7–8 meters (23 ft) in length. Due to the generally different physique of Western subjects, 8 meter (26 ft) ropes are commonly used in the West. The rope material is usually hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
(but sometimes sisal
Sisal
Sisal is an agave that yields a stiff fibre traditionally used in making twine, rope and also dartboards. The term may refer either to the plant or the fibre, depending on context...
or jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
), prepared according to specific techniques to achieve a pleasantly soft yet sturdy rope. Other materials are also sometimes used, although the use of most synthetic ropes tends to be frowned upon by Western tiers.
For historic reasons, earlier forms (Ryu) of Kinbaku use very few knots, sometimes none at all, or only a cow hitch
Cow hitch
The cow hitch is a hitch knot used to attach a rope to an object. The cow hitch comprises a pair of half-hitches tied in opposing directions, as compared to the clove hitch in which the half-hitches are tied in the same direction. It has several variations and is known under a variety of names...
or an overhand knot
Overhand knot
The overhand knot is one of the most fundamental knots and forms the basis of many others including the simple noose, overhand loop, angler's loop, reef knot, fisherman's knot and water knot. The overhand knot is very secure, to the point of jamming badly. It should be used if the knot is...
. According to Sensei Nawa Yumio in his 1964 classic book on Torinawa, knots on a person was regarded as extremely disgraceful, something some would regard as worse than death. Restraints with no knots were not considered "bondage" and there was no shame in such; therefore, "wrappings" were used.
Glossary
- : (noun) literally 'tight binding'. It does not convey the meaning of sexual bondage outside SM circles. However, some experts, e.g. Kinoko Hajime and Osada Steve, make a distinction from 'shibari' in that it is used to refer to sessions with a strong emotional exchange.
- : (noun) kinbaku master, can be shortened to bakushi.
- : (adverb) the act of tying, binding or weaving. It does not convey the meaning of sexual bondage outside SM circles.
- : (verb) tie or bind with a rope
- : (noun) rope-tying with a rope (an incorrect, "made-up" term, does not exist in Japanese http://www.likera.com/blog/wp/archives/59)
- : (noun) literally,"a maker of rope", but in SM circles it means a professional "rope artist" (source Master K's book "Shibari, The art of Japanese Bondage")
Kinbaku patterns (most of the below have multiple variations)
- Single wrist binding 片手首縛り Katate kubi shibari
- Both wrists binding 両手首縛り Ryoute kubi shibari
- Handcuff binding 手錠縛り Tejou shibari
- Prisoner handcuff binding 連行手錠縛り Renkou tejou shibari
- Hands behind the back binding 後ろ手縛り Ushiro te shibari
- High hands behind the back bindingUshiro Takatekoteis the basic or foundational form of binding the arms and breasts, in which the arms and hands are bound behind the back. The term Ushiro Takatekote is made up of two Japanese words: 後ろ which means "behind the back" and 高手小手 which means "bound hands and arms"...
後ろ高手小手縛り(簡易型 Ushiro takate kote shibari) - Hands behind the head tie 後頭後ろ手縛り Koutou ushiro te shibari
- Tasuki (kimono string) tied 襷(タスキ)縛り Tasuki ( tasuki ) shibari
- Crotch rope tie また縄縛り Mata nawa shibari
- Turtle (diamond pattern) binding 亀甲縛り(菱縄縛り)Kikkou shibari ( hishi nawa shibari)
- Upright standing binding 直立不動一本縛り Chokuritsu fudou ippon shibari
- Cross-legged binding 胡座 縛り Agura shibari
- Shrimp binding 海老縛り Ebi shibari
- Reverse shrimp binding 逆さ海老縛り Sakasa ebi shibari
- Standing partial suspension 立ち吊り縛り Tachi tsuri shibari
- One foot lifted partial suspension 片足上げ吊り縛り１ Kataashi age tsuri shibari
- Hanging letter M, open leg binding Ｍ字開脚吊り縛り M ji kaikyaku tsuri shibari
- Reverse hanging shrimp binding 逆海老吊り縛り Gyaku ebi tsuri shibari
Topics
- KaradaBondage rope harnessA bondage rope harness, sometime also referred to as a bondage web, rope web, rope dress or karada, is a rope bondage technique which involves the tying of an intricate structure of rope around the body in a complex web-like fashion....
Japanese word used in the West for body (body harness, a "rope dress") - Ushiro Takate Kote Foundational form for most shibari ties, capturing the upper body / breasts and arms behind back (when ushiro) in a "U" shape behind the back
- Kikkou - A body tie that ends with a tortoise shell design in the front upper torso.
- Hishi A tie using diamond shapes. When done as a full body tie, it is sometimes also called hishi-kikkou. The hishi has been popularized by mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, or cartoon, art. - Ebi The "shrimp" tie
- Agoura a less severe tie similar to an ebi
- Tazuki "criss-cross harness"
- Tanuki "racoon dog"
- Kataashi tsuri "one-legged suspension"
- Asymmetric bondage, a common feature of Japanese bondage
- Tsuri suspension
- Gyaku ebi
- HojojutsuHojojutsuHojōjutsu or Nawajutsu, is the traditional Japanese martial art of restraining a person using cord or rope.Encompassing many different materials, techniques and methods from many different schools, Hojojutsu is a quintessentially Japanese art that is a unique product of Japanese history and...
- Firukorinzu
Further reading
- Master "K"Master "K"Master “K” is a North American educator, author and authority on the art and history of shibari/kinbaku . He began his studies in Japan in the early 1970s and has spent over thirty years researching and translating original materials concerning this centuries old art form...
. The Beauty of Kinbaku (Or everything you always wanted to know about Japanese erotic bondage when you suddenly realized you didn't speak Japanese.). King Cat Ink, 2008. ISBN 978-0-615-24876-9. - Harrington, Lee "Bridgett". Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macramé. Mystic Productions, 2007. ISBN 0-615-14490-X.
- Master "K"Master "K"Master “K” is a North American educator, author and authority on the art and history of shibari/kinbaku . He began his studies in Japan in the early 1970s and has spent over thirty years researching and translating original materials concerning this centuries old art form...
. Shibari: The Art of Japanese Bondage. Secret Publications, 2004. ISBN 90-807706-2-0. - Masami AkitaMerzbowis the main recording name of the Japanese noise musician , born in 1956. Since 1979 he has released in excess of 350 recordings.The name "Merzbow" comes from German artist Kurt Schwitters' artwork, "Merzbau”. This was chosen to reflect Akita's dada influence and junk art aesthetic...
(秋田昌美 AKITA Masami), while known primarily as a musician, has produced an extensive number of scholarly writings on the history and practice of Japanese bondage. - MidoriMidori (author)is a prominent human sexuality writer, speaker, and sex educator based in San Francisco, California. Her writings and contributions have appeared in many books and magazines...
and Craig Morey (photographer). The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage. Greenery Press, 2001. ISBN 1-890159-38-7. - Esinem. Japanese Rope Bondage: Tying people not parcels. A 2 DVD set, 2011. ASIN B005QW5S8Q (PAL) & B005QYNTCQ (NTSC).
External links
- Master "K" Files Weekly articles (and archive) on the history, personalities & development of shibari/kinbaku. Video, gallery, slideshow.
- Japanese Kinbaku Fanpage No.1 Famous Kinbaku Fanpage.Video,Photo,How to Sibari,
- Shibari on the Wipipedia, the BDSM Wiki
- Glossary list 2009 Ongoing project with collecting terms and kanji related to Kinbaku
- Bondage related Japanese terms, pronunciation and translation
- Aspects of shibari Some shibari techniques (rus)
- Kinbaku Ichimai Original photo collections of Kinbaku.
- http://www.naturallytwisted.co/community/ Detailed information about Kinbaku ties
- http://esinem.com Esinem's website with detailed information about the history of Kinbaku and safety information