In Memoriam: Master “K”, 18 April 1950 – 26 Jan. 2026.
Age: 75
The news of Master “K”’s passing touched me deeply.
I met him in Los Angeles while he was working on The Beauty of Kinbaku. RopeMarks would later appear in that book, something I will always value. What stayed with me most, though, was not the publication, but the time we spent together. We talked for hours. Rope, history, intention, the responsibility of practicing something that does not originate from our own culture. We ate, we drank, we exchanged thoughts openly and with mutual respect.
Master “K” was a private man. There are no photos of that evening, or of him, and that feels right. He cared about understanding. About studying deeply before speaking. About doing justice to what he loved.
He showed me that scholarship and rope are not opposites. That depth matters. That taking the time to learn, to question, to contextualize, is part of honoring the art.
I am grateful for that meeting. Grateful for the conversation. Grateful that our paths crossed when they did.
Rest in peace, Master “K”.
Bob | RopeMarks
Jan. 26, 2026
a short note about my meet with Master “K”
https://www.ropemarks.com/kinbaku-in-la-usa-master-k/
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Zetsu
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