Jam PressWhen someone says ‘bondage’, it’s easy to immediately think leather whips and chains, but there’s another form of bondage taking the Instagram world by storm, and this kink is all about ropes.
Shibari is an intricate form of Japanese erotic bondage in which men and women are tied and suspended by ropes. While it’s often practiced by those who consider it to be a fetish, it can also be used to both stimulate and relax the mind.
The word shibari means ‘to tie decoratively’ and consists of the roper, usually called a rigger, and the person being tied up, called the bunny.
Jam PressQuartz Qunt, from the South Coast Shibari Group, first discovered her interest in the art when she found herself drawn to a fashion shoot in a magazine which featured shibari, years before she ever got into the world of BDSM.
Speaking to UNILAD, Quartz explained:
I love being emotionally close to people and inviting vulnerability and open communication into my life. Rope for me is a great way to connect with people and get to know them on a very deep level. It can be joyful, hilarious, athletic, aesthetically pleasing, deeply healing, sensual and an expression of love.
I enjoy tying and being tied, and as a queer female rigger, I am passionate about expanding the expectations around traditional male dom and female sub setups and sharing images of people of all body types and identities enjoying shibari.
Jam PressGaëlle Gote, also a member of the South Coast Shibari Group, says she ‘love being able to walk into a room full of people doing something risqué and then chatting about knitting over a cup of tea.’
She told UNILAD:
We are normal people with some niche interests. I can wholeheartedly recommend seeking out your local community and absorbing all the information you can. We are a friendly bunch and have all had the scary moment of walking into a room to learn Japanese rope bondage for the first time.
Jam PressWhen asked why people fall into the eroticism, Gaëlle said:
I believe that every person needs to answer that for the selves, for me personally as a rope bottom, rope is the fastest way to cut through societal bullshit through to human connection. It is less about being restrained and more about being emotionally vulnerable.
Akira Nawa from Brazil teaches and practices shibari, as well as sharing photos of his work, which consists of tying naked people up in new and creative ways.
Jam PressSome of Akira’s most attention-grabbing photographs include masked men and women, people suspended by ropes from the ceiling, and even fake blood.
Meanwhile his other snaps are less extreme but are still certain to get many in a twist, from snaps of breasts and bums bulging through the contours of the ropes to lighter scenes such as a woman posing with a ‘bound’ cello and men adorned with big, bright flowers.
Akira said shibari was created within a very sexual context, being part of the Japanese sadomasochistic culture for a long time. However nowadays, the shibari can be practiced in range of different contexts, but there will always be a certain level of eroticism, just like in pole dancing.
Jam PressThe 30-year-old has been tying people up for nine years and has been doing it as his main job for three, having opened his own studios in Rio de Janeiro in 2017.
Speaking of his work, Akira said:
I feel tremendous pleasure, an incredible sensation of flow, the ropes are very similar to paints and tying is like creating a beautiful renaissance painting.
As for being bound himself, he added:
I love it, the feeling of being tied up is very unique, it brings several hidden emotions into our subconscious.
Akira has amassed an impressive 11,000+ followers on Instagram thanks to unusual photos, however he’s keen to make sure everyone is practicing shibari in the safest way possible.
He said:
Like all body activity, there are risks in Shibari, such as nerve damage, rope burn, pressure drop and very rarely the possibility of fall.
Try to learn from a professional, do not try to make suspensions from the beginning. Master the basics and ground ties, drink water and let’s tie!
These thoughts are echoed by Gaëlle, who said anyone interested in the art should do their research for trying to take part.
She explained:
The rope community is spread all across the country, tuition can be found easily. It is important to do your homework and ask for recommendations to keep you safe. Like learning any skill it can be frustrating but is ultimately very rewarding.
I’ve heard our personal commitment compared to that of an athlete or dancer.
PexelsQuartz added:
It can seem daunting, with trying to find someone to tie with, working out which kind of rope to buy, and finding a local group that suits you, however, you don’t need to invest a lot of time and money to enjoy shibari.
People see images of suspensions and think they have to have a certain level of skill / certain body type to get involved in shibari, but it actually doesn’t require a lot of skill to enjoy intense, connected rope bondage – and anyone of any body type, size or physical fitness can be a rope bunny!
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.