Japanese rope bondage Osada Steve has launched the World Kinbaku Federation, a new organization that “strives to protect and preserve authentic kinbaku as practiced in Japan.”
Osada notes the rich and layered history of kinbaku (also known as shibari), which traces its origins back to the use of rope in the martial arts and developed into forms of rope torture and, in the postwar period, a type of erotic and BDSM practice. Thanks to the internet, kinbaku is now globally known and practiced, and Osada’s own proactive efforts with his online platforms have definitely played a strong role in that. As previously reported on Tokyo Kinky, Osada launched the Kinbaku Academy to make rope bondage training available to wider audiences.
The World Kinbaku Federation is his latest endeavor and it’s another testament to Osada-sensei’s ambition and vision of Japanese rope bondage as something global.
“Today, a handful of successful and highly regarded nawashi, bakushi, and shibarite keep pushing the envelope and spreading authentic knowledge about kinbaku to the world,” Osada says. “If you subscribe to the idea of keeping the origins of kinbaku pure and authentic you are cordially invited to become a member.”
World Kinbaku Federation is, as far as we know, the first such international initiative of its kind.
Membership costs a modest $20 a year. See the WKF website for more information.
Osada is also holding one of his regular live kinbaku event in Tokyo, featuring leading shibari model Yashiki Renka and showcasing the erotic art of Osada-ryu tying techniques.
You can attend virtual via Zoom or, if you’re in Tokyo, in person at Osada’s studio. Tickets vary, costing somewhat more if you wish to take photos and videos of the very intimate event. Tickets can be booked online via Osaka Steve’s website.
The photo shows Yashiki Renka in a tie known as the face-down suspension (gyaku-ebi-zuri).
For more information on Osada Steve and his kinbaku work, check out our in-depth interview with him from late last year.
