8/15/2020 What is Shibari?

| Art of Contemporary Shibari

Art of Contemporary Shibari

a centuries old art form evolves …

What is Shibari?

In Japanese, “Shibari” simply means “to tie”. The contemporary meaning of Shibari describes
an ancient Japanese artistic form of rope bondage.

The origin of Shibari comes from Hojo-jutsu, the martial art of restraining captives. In Japan
from 1400 to 1700, while the local police and Samurai used Hojo-jutsu as a form of
imprisonment and torture, the honor of these ancient Samurai warriors required them to treat
their prisoners well. So, they used different techniques to tie their prisoners, showing the honor
and status of their captured prisoner.

In the late 1800′s and early 1900′s a new form of erotic Hojo-justu evolved, called Kinbaku, the
art of erotic bondage. Today, particularly in the west, the art of erotic bondage is typically called
Shibari, which is an art of erotic spirituality, not a martial art.

Shibari style rigging creates geometric patterns and shapes with rope that contrast beautifully
with the human body’s natural curves. The ropes and their texture provide contrast to smooth
skin and curves. In Shibari, the model is the canvas, the rope is the paint and brush, and the
rigger is the rope artist.

The aesthetic arrangement of ropes and knots on the model’s body in Shibari rigging
emphasizes characteristics like sensuality, vulnerability, and also strength. The positioning of
knots in appropriate places stimulates pressure points on the body, very similarly to
acupuncture techniques and Shiatsu, a form of Japanese massage. Some believe a Shibari
experience also stimulates Ki energy flow and transfer.

In addition to creating beautiful patterns, with rope, body and limb placements, Shibari rigging
induces physiological conditions known as “sub space” and “top space”, which are similar to
the “runners high” experienced by athletes. A Shibari experience results in an increased level
of endorphins and other hormones, creating a trance-like experience for the bottom/model and
an adrenaline rush for the Top/rigger. When a Shibari scene is performed with appropriate
ambience, these effects are actually visible in the face of the model. The term “rope drunk” is
sometimes affectionately used to describe the euphoric condition of the model after a Shibari
experience.

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8/15/2020 What is Shibari? | Art of Contemporary Shibari

For most practitioners of Shibari, the use of rope bondage does not include an unwilling victim
like the “Damsels in Distress” images popular in Detective type magazines. Instead, there is a
collaboration between the Shibari artist (the rigger/Top) and the Shibari canvas (the
model/bottom) to create a combination of effects including visual beauty, power exchange,
helplessness, relaxation, and sub space and top space physiological experiences.

Contemporary practitioners of Shibari enjoy creating beautiful still images, live and recorded
performance art. Shibari can also be used as a component in BDSM play and an enhancement
in sexual activities.

To see beautiful examples of Contemporary Shibari, look at the art created by these
world class Shibari Artists by clicking on each individual Artist’s name.

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