Japanese bondage

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Book cover - Shibari, the Art of Japanese Bondage cropped.png
Karada applied on a female subject.

Kinbaku (緊縛?) is the word for "erotic bondage" or Kinbaku-bi (緊縛美?) which literally means "the beauty of tight bondage". Kinbaku (also Sokubaku) is a Japanese style of sexual bondage or BDSM which involves tying up the bottom using simple yet visually intricate patterns, usually with several pieces of thin rope usually hemp or jute (generally 6 mm or 8 mm in diameter).

The word Shibari came into common use in the West at some point in the 1990s to describe the bondage art Kinbaku. Shibari (縛り?) 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.

Contents

[edit] Differences between Western and Japanese styles

Japanese bondage (kinbaku) is said to differ from Western bondage in that the bottom is almost always immobilized or restrained to gain pleasure from being under the pressure and strain of the ropes, often squeezing the breasts or genitals, while the Western practice of bondage often focuses more on the immobilization, or may be applied strictly for decorative purposes. Decorative bindings in Japanese: "nawakeshou" (rope-make-up, literally).

The aesthetics of the bound person's position are also important: in particular, Japanese bondage is distinguished by its use of asymmetric and often intentionally uncomfortable positions, often giving choice of two 'evils' (two in different ways uncomfortable positions to chose between by moving in the ropes), to heighten the psychological impact of the bondage. Western styles are usually more symmetrical and may sometimes only marginally restrict the bottom's ability to move.

Japanese bondage techniques use natural vegetable fiber rope (hemp, jute, or linen) exclusively. The natural fibers easily lock to each other making simple knots work very well. Traditionally multiple 7 meter lengths are used, though longer lengths may commonly be used for full-body or suspension work. Hojōjutsu, the martial art employed by the Samurai, doesn't have to use any knots at all. Western styles may use traditional 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. While both practices may use a few standard lengths of rope to fit different applications, Western full-body bondage tend to use longer lengths and often very complex decorative knots.

Kinbaku, with its roots firmly in Japan, and the more modern version shibari, have both gained popularity across the world. Kinbaku implies "kokoro"; heart, spirit, mind. And cannot be reached by skills of ropes/knots alone, but also requires ie transferring of ki-energy to take the model on the mental/spiritual ride.

[edit] History

Shibari art by nawashi Shadow

Although some of the techniques of Japanese sexual bondage originated with the military restraint technique of Hojojutsu, sexual bondage techniques are far gentler, and great care is taken to avoid injury.

Many rope artists have derived their own flavor of Japanese-inspired bondage which often mixes some Shibari techniques with other forms of bondage. Kinbaku is greatly influenced by the Sengoku period of Japan. One of Japan's darkest historical eras of torture and execution, it is still remembered for cruel means and methods that include the use of fire, knives, tattoos, boiling water, pheasants, divining blocks and rocking horses[citation needed], etc. Eventually (in 1742) the Tokugawa government created a foundation of crime laws, which included the seven different types of punishment (Labour, slavery, exile, death, etc) and the four kinds of torture (whip, pressing stone, constriction by rope, and hanging by rope).

According to several sources[citation needed], bondage as a sexual activity first came to notice in Japan in the late Edo period. Generally recognized as "father of Kinbaku" is Ito Seiu, who started studying and researching Hojojutsu in 1908 and turned it into an art form. Kinbaku became widely popular in the 1950s. In the 1960s, a tradition of bondage as a form of performance art developed in Japan.

In recent years Japanese style ropework has become popular in the Western BDSM scene.

[edit] Technique

Traditional Kinbaku is based on fairly specific rope patterns, most of them derived from Hojojutsu ties. Of particular importance are the Ushiro Takatekote (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 bottom vulnerable for more pleasant forms of play.

Generally, traditional Kinbaku is practiced with ropes of 7 meters (23 ft) in length. Due to the generally different physique of Western bottoms, 8 meter (26 ft) ropes are commonly used in the West. The rope material is usually hemp or jute (neither sisal nor manila hemp are usually useful), prepared according to specific techniques to achieve a pleasantly soft yet sturdy rope. Other materials are also sometimes used, although most synthetic ropes tend to be too slippery for Shibari techniques.

For historic reasons, Kinbaku uses very few knots, sometimes none at all, or only a cow hitch or an overhand knot. This requires rope with high friction. 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.

[edit] Glossary

  • kinbaku (緊縛?): (noun) erotic bondage
  • kinbakushi (緊縛師?): (noun) kinbaku enthusiast, can be shortened to bakushi.
  • shibari (縛り?): (noun) the act of tying or binding with a rope
  • shibaru (縛る?): (verb) tie or bind with a rope
  • nawa shibari (縄縛り?): (noun) rope-tying with a rope (an incorrect, "made-up" term, does not exist in Japanese [1])
  • nawashi (縄師?): (noun) literally,"a maker of rope", but in SM circles it means "rope artist" (source Master K's book "Shibari, The art of Japanese Bondage")

[edit] 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 binding 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

[edit] Topics

French Shibari

Topics in Japanese bondage include:

  • Karada 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 manga, 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
  • Hojojutsu

[edit] See also

[edit] Further reading

  • Master "K". 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 061514490X.
  • Master "K". Shibari: The Art of Japanese Bondage. Secret Publications, 2004. ISBN 90-807706-2-0.
  • Masami Akita (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.
  • Midori and Craig Morey (photographer). The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage. Greenery Press, 2001. ISBN 1-890159-38-7.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_bondage"