Kinbaku Elements (previously: RopeMarks Artistic Rope Exchange aka RARE) are larger and smaller bits and pieces of information to build your session technically and emotionally.

Providing tutorials online and in print is something that is very, very, high on my list and after doing Japanese rope bondage, kinbaku, for at more than 25 years now I think I have something to say. In the past I’ve run the full blown kinbaku tutorial site RARE (RopeMarks Artistic Rope Exchange) and for my workshops and masterclasses I provide small tutorial clips of what I call “Kinbaku Elements”.  I usually set my standards high and wish to provide you with a full blown “Kinbaku Elements” overview as done in RopeMarks Ryu. This simply is not happening yet due to time issues.

So, I’ve decided to start uploading the current “Kinbaku Elements” I provide my workshop and masterclass students. Also, I’m uploading some of the RARE material, for historical, archival reasons, and just plain fun to see how I did this over 25 years ago. These “Kinbaku Elements” are companions to real life workshops and masterclasses, use them with common sense. When in doubt about how to apply these ropes, knots and patterns seek real life advice (for instance with me).

 

Singel & double column tie | Kinbaku element

Double column tie | Kinbaku element

How to coil your rope – one of many ways

RopeMarks’ waitress variation | Kinbaku element

RopeMarks’s “hishi” crotchrope | Kinbaku element

Futomomo | Kinbaku element

Futomomo (diamond version) | Kinbaku element

RopeMarks’ takatekote | Kinbaku element

RopeMarks’ lower legs tie | Kinbaku element

Somerville bowline | Kinbaku element

Nawa zuri (“4TK”), Y-attachment | Kinbaku element

Nawa zuri (“4TK”), bamboo tie off | Kinbaku element

Avoiding the bight, “carabiner” | Kinbaku element

Upper body ties, especially a “gote” are a fundamental element of kinbaku, Japanese rope bondage. Learning a “takatekote” can take years to master. For one, the concepts and techniques behind the many variations open up a huge part of the kinbaku-world. A “ushiro takategote shibari” goes beyond just the tie.

So instead of a how-to for a variation of the takatekote I give you six examples of variations of a upper body kinbaku tie:

  1.  Ushiro takatekote shibari (three variations),
  2. Gote shibari (stemmed version),
  3. Tengu shibari combined with two hishi futomomo’s and a tenegui gag,
  4. Bo shibari combined with a bamboo gag an proper drool.

Gote grid

Read this blog post to see all upper body kinbaku tie videos and photos

The following videos are RARE (RopeMarks Artistic Rope Exchange) tutorial videos, created over 20 years ago. I’ve put these back online for historical, archival reasons, and just plain fun to see how I did things that long ago.

Ryo tekubi | RARE

Kotobu ryo tekubi | RARE

Ushiro takatekote | RARE

Ushiro tasuki | RARE