hajime kinoko

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter

Hajime Kinoko, moto2, 2021, Tokyo

photography and interview

by OLIVIER ZAHM

 

Hajime Kinoko belongs to a generation of artists who are reimagining shibari, transforming it from an underground fetish practice into a new art form. His performances expand the boundaries of the craft, tying up people, objects, and even buildings. For Kinoko, anything and anyone can be tied up into a living sculpture.

 

OLIVIER ZAHM — When did you start doing shibari?

HAJIME KINOKO — I started when I was 21, so I’ve been doing it for 26 years. In Japan, it’s called kinbaku, which means “tight binding,” or kinbaku-bi, meaning “the beauty of tight binding.” But the term shibari for artistic and erotic bondage is interchangeable with the word kinbaku.

OLIVIER ZAHM — How did you master this rigorous technique?

HAJIME KINOKO — When I was 21, I met my girlfriend, a very tall BDSM girl who wanted me to tie her up. Around the same time, I started working as a manager at a fetish bar, but I had no experience with BDSM at all. She introduced me to a shibari master, a very petite woman, 65 years old. With her, I learned many techniques. After six months of training, I became highly skilled in shibari. Then, my girlfriend became my first shibari student. [Laughs]

OLIVIER ZAHM — Is it rare to have a female shibari master?

HAJIME KINOKO — In Japan, about 30% of shibari teachers are women.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Can you tell me about the history of shibari?

HAJIME KINOKO — The practice has a relatively recent history. Seiu Itō,  a painter born in 1882, is considered the father of modern kinbaku. Over time, shibari gradually evolved into a BDSM practice, gaining popularity in the 1950s through fetish magazines like Kitan Club, a cult drawing magazine, and later through fetish photography books as well. And then maybe 40 years ago, a very famous Nobel Prize writer, Kenzaburō Ōe, wrote many BDSM stories. When I first started performing 25 years ago, the audience for shibari shows was composed mostly of people in the BDSM scene. Japan is a very conservative society, and it was generally kept secret. When the Internet took off 25 to 30 years ago, magazines slowly started to disappear, but the audience grew.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Did shibari derive from the techniques used to bind prisoners and criminals?

HAJIME KINOKO — Yes, it was originally a martial art, a way to capture and tie up criminals. Outside Japan, people used metal or leather cuffs, but in Japan, they used rope. About I50 years ago, Japan was separated into many countries. And each country developed its own different and very elaborate shibari techniques. For criminals, shibari was separated into two types. One type was hayanawa [fast rope], and the other was hojo¯jutsu [restraining rope]. Hojo¯jutsu was for prisoners who wanted to escape. It was a painful technique that made criminals surrender. They also used different styles of shibari depending on the person’s role and social status — one method for women, another for criminal monks, and so on. Different social statuses meant different ropes, knots, forms, and processes. [Laughs] The different tying methods have lots of variations and styles. Hayanawa, for example, involves many ties. Typically, you start by tying one hand, then the neck, followed by the other hand and arm. It’s very tight and can cut off circulation, making it very dangerous.

OLIVIER ZAHM — You need to understand anatomy and learn about joints, nerves, and circulation, to protect the body.

HAJIME KINOKO — Absolutely, but 25 years ago, people didn’t know much about nerves and circulation.

OLIVIER ZAHM — How did shibari transition from the world of prisoners to the erotic world?

HAJIME KINOKO — It’s likely thanks to Seiu Ito¯. As a painter, he saw the erotic potential of hojo¯jutsu and began creating shibari drawings. He’s known as the creator of kinbaku.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Thirty years ago, when you started, shibari was kept secret. It was still underground.

HAJIME KINOKO — Yes, but now shibari is becoming very trendy and popular around the world. I’m invited to so many places outside Japan to perform in public. Shibari performance is becoming mainstream. [Laughs] Now, more men want to be tied up. They used to be a small minority, but today, more and more men are interested in experiencing shibari.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Would you consider yourself a pioneer of shibari, someone who helped transform it into an art form?

HAJIME KINOKO — Yes, for me it’s performance art. Now, I’m interested in shibari because when I tie a woman’s body, the shape changes, and I can control that transformation.

OLIVIER ZAHM — You can change the body, sculpt it. A suspension is like a living, floating sculpture.

HAJIME KINOKO — Exactly, like a moving sculpture. Trust and consent between the shibari master and the model are essential. Shibari is becoming more erotic, more visual, and more artistic, but at its core, it’s about absolute trust, vulnerability, and submission. It’s a deeply internal and emotional experience.

OLIVIER ZAHM — And you push the visual aspect by creating large, fascinating nets, which is your signature, right? A huge rope installation that resembles an enormous net — this was your idea?

HAJIME KINOKO — Yes. My process usually starts with a traditional shibari suspension. Shibari always incorporates leftover rope, which is used with the suspension line as the foundation. This is where it begins. Then
I create connections with the suspension rope so it looks like a little net.

OLIVIER ZAHM — So, this is your unique shibari signature. How do you create it? Do you plan it out with a drawing first, or is it entirely spontaneous? Does it come intuitively as you tie up the person?

HAJIME KINOKO — I don’t usually use drawings — just my imagination. I like to add humor, too. I might tie up a girl and a bike, a group of girls, or even incorporate fashion into it.

OLIVIER ZAHM — You do it in the moment. You feel it, and you create with ropes like a painter with colors.

HAJIME KINOKO — Yes. Sometimes I have a picture in my head. Sometimes it looks like a star or a flower. Other times, there’s no theme — it’s a gamble. Sometimes, having no theme works out well.

OLIVIER ZAHM — You’ve added people to shibari, which is usually just one person suspended. How did that start?

HAJIME KINOKO — I see tying up one person or many people in the same way — it’s interesting. My approach to shibari has many possibilities, but it always has to feel natural.

OLIVIER ZAHM — You have to play with gravity and the body, to create a composition. It’s complex and difficult. Have you discovered some personal rules and techniques?

HAJIME KINOKO — Yes, the way you tie a cord changes its meaning completely. A shibari technique is always functional. As I said, I tie based on my imagination, adding some humor and exploring new ideas — but always carefully and with total respect for the model.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Does shibari also have a spiritual meaning for you?

HAJIME KINOKO — Yes. It’s a spiritual and strong emotional connection with the model.

OLIVIER ZAHM — Is it a moment of meditation, too?

HAJIME KINOKO — Yes, it’s like meditation and very helpful for mental health. The shibari master needs to deeply connect with the person being tied.

OLIVIER ZAHM — How do you understand the person’s expectations?

HAJIME KINOKO — I always start with the hands. Once their hands are tied, I understand 90% of the person. Some want something erotic, some want to relax, and others want to feel nothing, forget everything, and stop thinking. Some feel like this century isn’t for them, while others are grieving someone they’ve lost or a lover. Erotic people create a sexual atmosphere — the mood shifts, movements and sounds change, even their voice changes. It’s always a deep connection with the person being tied.

OLIVIER ZAHM — So, you create something visual, but you also adapt to the person. You seek a silent dialogue with the person.

HAJIME KINOKO — Yes. There’s an aesthetic aspect, but it must be emotional and natural. I believe the most beautiful shibari forms come from within, from emotions. When you tie naturally, the result feels truly beautiful. Some people want to be tied softly, while others prefer it tight, almost like a hug. It always unfolds organically.

OLIVIER ZAHM — And now it’s your turn to transmit your craft. You have students like the American artist Marie Sauvage, for example, who learn from you and are also contributing to this issue of Purple.

HAJIME KINOKO — Yes, I want to pass shibari on to younger people and teach them how to become shibari masters. Many young people want to discover my shibari performances or even learn with me. So, I travel more and more and perform in many places outside Japan.

END