Kinbaku (緊縛) in Japanese means “tight binding. Today it is used as a synonym for Japanese (inspired, originated) rope bondage as a kink or erotic practice. Outside Japan, the term Shibari (縛り) is more commonly used to describe the practice of tying another person with ropes. Shibari literally means “decoratively tie. It emphasises the process of tying, not the erotic character of the interaction. Also presents, art objects, belts can be “tied”. Often, Japanese teachers we interact with use Kinbaku or Shibari interchangeably, describing the use of ropes as a tool to create bondage as a consensual kink, both as practice between two humans or for creating art: fiction, illustrations, photography – performances.

For us, the “tight binding” is not necessarily limited to tightness of the rope bondage itself, but extended to the bond that is created when two humans enter an intimate dialogue between their bodies and souls. We promote Kinbaku as glue – binder – within a partnership, a tool to enhance commitment, intimacy and polarity between loving partners. For us, it is a personal, intimate journey.

Therefore we use it in our professional communication, as we like to reference the cultural heritage of some specific aspects of our rope bondage as a practice in Japanese as much we wish to emphasize the eroticism and the roots in BDSM culture connected to the term Kinbaku.

Rope and tying is, and always has been, plentiful in Japanese culture. Its use ranges from separating the sacred from the profane e.g. in Shinto Shrines, to the art of decorative wrapping and tying gift boxes or the belts of traditional kimonos. Also, rope was widely used for immobilizing captives and as a tool for interrogation, both in times of war and later during Shogunate.

To see tied captives in public was probably a common scene in olden times in Japan. Naturally, in myth and fairytales, the idea of somewhat thrilling eroticism related to rope around a (female) body emerged and made it into the collective subconscious mind, as shackles and chains made it into the minds of us Westerners as symbols for imprisonment and punishment. Even famous swordsman and Ronin Miyamoto Musashi had to suffer from hanging on a rope from a tree at a young age, according to the legend.

Between the 17th and 19^th century, the art form of Kabuki theater became popular and along with it Ukiyo-e, (wood prints) proliferated scenes of thrilling and often subtle (or less subtle) erotic depictions of Kabuki scenes rooted in Japanese collective myth. Famous examples are the one of Princess Chujo bound in snow, or the “Twenty-eight famous murders with verse” from Yoshitoshi, of which 3 involve rope bondage.

The art of erotic tying became even more popular since artist and self-proclaimed pervert Seiu Ito started to use the new medium of photography to capture his model, muse and wife Kiseko tied in ropes. In the 1920s a circle of artists, bohemians and rope enthusiasts gathered around Seiu Ito to explore seme 責め (torture, torment) and the art of erotic tying. This is the origin of modern Japanese bondage.

After the 2^nd World War, Japan came under American occupation. There was an inbound of American pulp literature and porn magazines, which cross-polluted the Japanese rope scene. Relatively loose censorship allowed publishing of magazines with Fetish and BDSM content, and a “Golden Age” of Kinbaku publishing started, with iconic magazines like Kitan-Club as spear head. Initially quite diverse in content, the fan base just loved everything around Kinbaku most, and consequently the magazines became specialized. There were writing, photography, drawings – and how-to series of the at that time contemporary masters of Kinbaku, such as Minomura Kou.

The old patterns and techniques, from the Martial Art of capturing people and tying them properly for public display (Hojo-Jutsu) got re-evaluated and altered to make them safer and more versatile for photography and “home-use.” Later, the art of tying entered stage shows and cinema, which called upon further development of safe but effective techniques. From there, the development branches out, and now many interpretations of intention, technique, and aesthetics co-exist.

Our style is derived from Akira Naka, who himself was a student of Nureki Chimou. Both worked for and with the famous Kinbaku photo magician Sugiura Norio, who influenced their aesthetic development. The patterns used in Akira Naka’s style of Semenawa are rather minimalistic, reduced to the maximum effect for the person tied, in terms of physical and emotional impact.

Kinbaku is a transformative practice for us, for both rigger and bottom. It’s about initiating inner processes, developing oneself, making a positive change. The rope becomes a kind of philosophe’s stone. In the rope, with the rope, you cannot hide – at least not when you approach Semenawa with honesty. It will likely change you and your relationship forever.