Matanawa shibari

Japanese rope terminology

Matanawa (股縄) means “crotch rope.” In kinbaku and shibari, it describes rope passing over or through the crotch area, rather than one fixed tie or pattern.

Japanese: 股縄
Reading: matanawa (またなわ)
Mata (股): crotch, the place where the legs divide from the torso
Nawa (縄): rope

The longer expression matanawa shibari adds shibari (縛り), meaning tying or binding. The existing page covers both expressions.

Matanawa names the crotch-rope element of a tie. It does not specify one knot, one route through the rest of the tie or one complete harness.

Construction can vary with the person and the intended use..

The kanji 股 has more than one reading. In matanawa, it is read mata and refers to the crotch. This should not be confused with a thigh-rope term simply because 股 can also be read momo in other words.

Matanawa (股縄)
Crotch rope: identifies the part of the body over or through which the rope passes.

Koshinawa (腰縄)
Waist or hip rope: a related lower-body term, but not a synonym for matanawa.

Matazuri (股吊り)
Suspension using a crotch rope. This names a suspension application, whereas matanawa names the rope or tie element itself.

Nawa (縄)
The general word for rope. In compounds such as matanawa, it can also refer to the rope’s placement or the associated tie.

Nawa · Koshi nawa · Mune nawa · Shibari

Kotobank: 股 for the Japanese meaning and readings of mata.

More matanawa on RopeMarks.com | RopeMarks