What is shibari?

What the word means

Shibari comes from the Japanese verb to tie. In the West it is used for decorative, often erotic, rope bondage in a Japanese style. In Japan the erotic side is usually called kinbaku, meaning tight binding, and many people use the two words interchangeably.

It grew out of hojojutsu, a historic Japanese method of restraining prisoners with rope, and developed into an erotic art in the twentieth century.

What it involves

A rigger ties a partner, the model or bottom, using natural fibre rope such as jute or hemp, usually in lengths of about seven to eight metres. Ties range from simple chest harnesses and wrist ties to elaborate patterns and, for the very experienced, suspension off the ground.

For many people the appeal is the trust, the feeling of being held, the sensation of the rope and the look of the finished tie. It can be sexual or not at all.

Safety first

Rope can injure. The most common problem is nerve damage, especially to the radial nerve on the upper arm, which can cause numbness or weakness that lasts weeks. Check in often, ask the person tied to move their fingers and report tingling, numbness or cold, and untie at once if they do.

Never put rope around the neck. Keep safety shears that can cut rope within reach, never leave a tied person alone, and leave suspension until you have had in-person training. Agree a safeword before you start, plus a non-verbal signal. Our guide to consent and boundaries covers the rest.

How to learn

The safest way in is a class. Many UK cities, London especially, have rope workshops and social rope nights for beginners where you can learn ties and safety in person. Fetish clubs often have rope areas too; see our guide to fetish club etiquette.

Start with simple single-column and double-column ties on the wrists or ankles, keep sessions short and talk afterwards about what worked. For the wider picture, read what BDSM is.