Recently there has been a renewed discussion on the terminology that is used to describe the Japanese art of rope bondage. That discussion, hinges on two Japanese words: Shibari (縛り) and Kinbaku (緊縛) with the first being the Japanese word “to tie” and the second being a word that translates to “tight binding.” Which of these words is “correct” is not particularly important. What is more important is the intention that each of these words express.

To me, shibari is the answer to the question “how do you tie?” And kinbaku is the answer to the question “why do you tie?”

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The takate kote is a tie of great variation. You can't speak of it like it is a single thing. Different people tie it in different ways and different approaches to the tie look better or worse on different body types.

There are artistic versions, suspension versions, versions for floor work, and versions for torture (literally).

The first thing I learned from Master "K" was how to tie it safely in a very basic version. Anatomy, nerve compression, safety release knots. All of that matters tremendously.

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