Japanese Rope Bondage
Japanese rope bondage is a style of bondage and BDSM that originates in Japan. The actual term for it, which is popular in the west, is shibari. The word itself simply means “beautifully tie” and may or may not refer to BDSM itself: instead, it focuses on the beauty of tying ropes. Naturally, the entire concept of it is all focused upon power: the person doing the tying actually has the power, and the bottom or “sub” is the one who completely tied up.
Kinbaku or Shibari?
Shibari is said to refer purely to the actual tying of the ropes. This, therefore, is the artistic expression. On the other hand, there is another term kinbaku refers to the artistic, connective, sensual and sexual aspects of the practice. In western countries, there is quite a lot of debate regarding the differences between these two words and what they mean exactly. At the present moment, there is little evidence to suggest that they really are that different. And this is usually after scouring countless books written on the subject in Japanese.
The Origins
Kinbaku is derived from another form of tying called Hojojutsu. This particular type isn’t very safe and can cause quite a lot of harm to the person being tied up. As a result, a lot of the different techniques and methods for tying have been modified to ensure that minimum harm comes to the sub. Of course, an erotic context is naturally going to be a part of this and therefore it needs to be emphasized. When it comes to a particular type of bondage of this nature, you will, of course, want to make sure that you know what you’re doing. If you are a sub, for example, you will need to place a lot of trust in the dom!
Learning Japanese Rope Bondage
In the past, it was a lot more difficult to locate resources on kinbaku/shibari. Nowadays, we thankfully have the Internet so it is very easy to come across sources. If you happen to speak fluent Japanese, then by all means your best bet is to find a resource that is actually written in the language. If you can’t, however, there are plenty of resources that are written in English so you will be able to find something!
Nowadays there are a lot of videos out there as well, and these are good to watch. Of course, you may also be able to find someone who can mentor you in this particular skill and art form. It is all up to you and what sort of resources you find. You need to be careful and take a look at the different opinions and well. And of course, make sure to practice a bit on models before you do so on a real person! You want to ensure that you’re confident first and foremost!