Shibari for beginners: techniques & toys

With shibari, you enjoy the beauty of bondage as you relax and create your own sexual artwork. This form of Japanese rope bondage did not originate as an erotic game; samurai used it as a martial art. Over time, it has also become a beautiful form of BDSM. It’s a power game in which patience and pleasure are paramount. Curious to find out more? Read on to learn more about the basics of this Japanese rope-knotting art.

What you should know about shibari

Not familiar with shibari? Don’t worry, we’ll explain everything about this form of Japanese bondage. Read on for an introduction to the history and erotic elements of shibari, what you need, and how to get the hang of it.

The erotic beauty of shibari

The reason why people enjoy this art of rope tying varies from person to person. Some knotters, also called riggers or ropers, like to turn their bunny (the one who is tied) into a naked and erotic work of art. Others get excited by bondage and the uncomfortable positions and sexual pressure points that go with it. The release of fantasy, the feeling of rough rope against your smooth skin, and hard knots against your soft curves: they’re all reasons to experiment with shibari.

• The powerful person, the knotter, is called the rigger or roper in shibari.
• The person that surrenders to the will of the roper is called a bunny.
• Shibari is both an erotic and mental form of stimulation, and it offers relaxation.
• Becoming a roper is not easy: it takes quite a bit of practice to make good knots and even longer to create your own erotic work of art.
• When shibari is performed well, you get exciting and incredibly beautiful art.

Shibari is all about the art of bondage

You’ll need one thing, and preferably a lot of it: bondage material. You’re free to choose rope, ribbons, or cuffs – and even in those products there is a difference in length, colour, and roughness. For shibari, use the material you feel comfortable with and that is strong enough. There are certain riggers who only want to use one type of bondage material, while others alternate materials and colours. As long as the knots are safe and comfortable, there are no rules about the material you should use.

• Bondage ropes are chosen for their comfort, ease of use and safety.
• There are ropes for sale that are made especially for shibari. These Japanese bondage ropes are long, soft, and strong.
• Go for different lengths and colours if you want to create a varied work of art. This bondage set is a good start.
• With a special pair of bondage scissors, you can quickly cut the ropes in case of emergency. Always keep these scissors at hand.

• 
  Red Bondage Rope - 10m
  Easytoys Fetish Collection
  £25.64 £17.09
• 
  Fifty Shades Of Grey - Restrain Me Bondage Ropes
  Fifty Shades of Grey
  £19.65
• 
  Bondage Scissors
  Sinner Gear Unbendable
  £10.25 £6.83
• 
  Tightrope Bondage Rope - 5.5 Meters
  £8.54 £4.27

How long does a shibari session last?

Some couples take all day for an erotic shibari session. You can make the knots as complicated and creative as you like. The more you get into it, the more time it takes. Start with the basics: for example, handcuffs, ornate bondage around the breasts, or a kinky arm tie. There are easy and graceful knots, but also weaving patterns. The latter is mainly for the advanced and takes hours not only to knot, but also to undo.

Learn the basics of knots with tutorials

Practice makes perfect. This also applies to bondage. You can learn the basics by watching tutorials. YouTube has many videos with instructions on how to master shibari. If you’re going to practice on your bunny, make sure the bindings are loose. And don’t forget the scissors mentioned earlier. Safety first, always!

Shibari: the technique already used by samurai

Shibari was developed as an ancient method used by Japanese warriors to restrain captives. Samurai treated prisoners with respect and showed this by tying them up with elaborately artistic bindings. This used to be called Kinbaku-bi, which literally means “the beauty of tight binding”. Now, it’s known as shibari, so originally, it wasn’t a form of BDSM, but it was functional and pure art. Nevertheless, shibari does appeal to the imagination. The bondage is so beautiful and sensual that it’s not surprising that it’s also used as an erotic game.

Back to the samurai. The ancient Japanese took shibari quite seriously:

• Armour was made of wooden plates that were tied together with traditional knots.
• Goods sent out were wrapped in cloth and tied with shibari bindings.
• Gifts were always ornately wrapped with cords.
• The kimonos worn by geishas are still tied around their bodies with ritual knots.

Mastering Japanese rope bondage

Bondage is exciting, seductive, and intimate. Using a rope can be a way of getting closer to each other in a different way, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Do you want to immerse yourself in shibari? Knotting in such a way that buttocks and breasts look their best? Making the body look good and performing bondage on the fly (hanging someone up in a graceful way)? Find an instructor. There are shibari courses in many major cities. Before signing up, read the reviews and find out if the instructor is knowledgeable, so you can be sure that you’re in the right place.

What you’ll learn from a shibari instructor

Why follow a course? Bondage is a unique kind of BDSM where trust is important. You’ll want to tie knots in a way that’s safe and that you can trust. As a rigger, an instructor will teach you:

• Which type of bindings to use for certain knots and functions, and how to make a great works of art on the fly.
• The necessary anatomy, so that you can tie shibari bindings on pressure points and nerves that make the game even more exciting.
• How to arouse even more intense physical sensations.
• Knowledge of possible dangers, the right ways to communicate in order to avoid risks, and the basics of first aid.

Also read: BDSM for beginners: all the rules of BDSM