Japanese bondage

Kinbaku is the word for "erotic bondage" or Kinbaku-bi which means "beautiful bondage". Kinbaku (also Sokubaku) is a Japanese style of sexual bondage or BDSM which involves tying up the bottom using simple yet visually intricate patterns, usually with several pieces of thin rope usually hemp or jute (generally 6 mm or 8 mm in diameter). The word Shibari came into common use in the West at some point in the 1990s to describe the bondage art Kinbaku. Shibari is a Japanese word that literally means "to tie" or "to bind". It is used in Japan to describe the artful use of twine to tie objects or packages.

Japanese Bondage (kinbaku) is said to differ from Western bondage in that, instead of just immobilizing or restraining the bottom, the bottom gains pleasure from being under the pressure and strain of the ropes, squeezing the breasts or genitals. The aesthetics of the bound person's position are also important: In particular, Japanese bondage is distinguished by its use of asymmetric positions to heighten the psychological impact of the bondage. There are examples found among Western bondage enthusiasts such as John Willie. Western full-body bondage also uses long lengths of rope and the type of rope has changed over the years: cotton was used early on, then nylon became popular in the 1980s or 1990s, followed by multi-filament polypropylene (MFP) ropes. Compare this to Japanese bondage techniques, in which multiple pieces of natural vegetable fiber rope (hemp, jute, or linen) of 7 meters are used. Traditional Hojōjutsu the martial art employed by the Samurai uses no knots whatsoever, while modern Japanese-inspired Western bondage uses relatively simple knots (requiring only about two to five types.). With its roots firmly in Japan, Kinbaku has gained popularity, being taught by teachers (sensei) all over the world.