What is Shibari?

SHIBARI 縛り is the Japanese style of rope bondage, which is both an art form as well as a BDSM activity, and is derived from historical methods of tying up prisoners. For me, shibari is a mode of kinesthetic communication between two people.

Okay, but what does all that mean?

First, a little background: Rope was the traditional way for binding anything from groceries to prisoners. Metal was in short supply, as Japan is an island which has limited metal resources, but an abundance of plants, which could be used for raw materials. In comparison, Europe was rich in metals, so they could be more frivolous with its usage— and so iron bars, chains, and shackles were the norm in a way that was not common in Japan. Instead, the use of rope evolved over a period of centuries. During the Warring States period (c1400-1615), there were even lineages/schools of Japanese martial arts that specialized in techniques for binding (hojojutsu), such as Koka-ryu. An elaborate system developed for various situations: different ties for people of accused of different crimes or different social rank (one wouldn’t want a subordinate to mistreat the son of a local lord, for instance). Different color ropes could be used for different times of year, and different patterns of tying could be used to hide methods of tying in the event of a hostage swap (one wouldn’t want their rivals to get any ideas of their methods).

Eventually, the civil wars gave way to a time of relative peace in the Edo period (1600-1867). Just like in Europe, as feudalism gave way a merchant class arose, and this new middle class was hungry for entertainment. Plays and literature flourished, but also the artform of woodblock printing. While Hokusai’s Great Wave is probably the most famous to us, there was a huge variety of prints, including what would be considered the equivalent of tabloids and pinup of today. People were thrilled by scandalous stories with shocking illustrations, which ostensibly related news or historical events as a way to get around censorship. Images of tied-up prisoners being tortured, women being kidnapped or rescued. Again, this is very similar to how in Europe, painters would depict ancient mythological stories or histories to express tantalizing scenes.

After the Edo period, Japan went through a rapid process of westernization, followed by war with Russia, and World War II. At around this time, there was a revitalization of rope bondage within the cultural consciousness, and it emerged within the BDSM community and spread through dedicated magazines and later performances and videocassettes.

This is an important point, because “shibari” as we know it today is an evolution of the form that emerged in the BDSM scene, particularly the photography, video, and live performance aspect: which is to say, it typically exists with an external viewer/audience in mind. This is why shibari looks so different from typical Western style rope bondage (yes, it exists.. it is generally utilitarian and not pretty).

For a more in-depth understanding of the history of shibari, I highly recommend looking up books or interviews by a woman who goes by the name Midori. Yes, she’s famous enough that just one name is enough. She literally wrote the book on Shibari, I don’t think there’s anyone in the English speaking world who is a greater authority on the subject.

Gradually, shibari entered the American public consciousness, first from US soldiers stationed in Japan who brought back souvenirs, and eventually online media. When I started learning shibari, there was very little material available to learn from, mostly videocassettes and books on knot tying with subtle notes on which knots are unsafe for use with people. With the internet, things got a lot easier, and within the last five years there has been a huge surge of interest in the art.

This may be a controversial statement, but I believe that right now, right here we are witnessing the next stage of evolution for shibari. It seems to be growing into a more spiritual or therapeutic practice for rapport between two people, without necessarily being centered around a sexual aspect. I think this is a very exciting time, as the form is growing from the diversity of approaches and ways of thinking that I’ve observed in the scene, in a way totally different from what I saw even in the mid 2000s.

Personally, my favorite aspect of shibari is that it serves as a way to converse with another person in an intimate and nonverbal way. There are dynamics of trust, opening up, becoming aware of one’s self and sensitive to the other. It can be a profound experience, and it’s also just a lot of fun. I love improving my dexterity by tying and untying, and the joy of creating a beautiful design that accentuates the form of the person I’m working with. The more I’ve practiced, the deeper I realize the art goes. In photography, there’s much more than “taking nice pictures,” likewise in shibari the rope is just the start.