--- title: "Myths in shibari (2-5): the confusion of terms" date: 2026-10-22 author: "Sr. Interior (流庵殿)" intro_image: "https://shibari-dojo.online/images/metodo/mtd0602en_sq.webp" fulltext_image: "https://shibari-dojo.online/images/metodo/mtd0602en_lg.webp" categories: - name: "Methodology" url: "https://shibari-dojo.online/mtd-en.md" tags: - name: "History" url: "https://shibari-dojo.online/tags/history.md" --- # Myths in shibari (2-5): the confusion of terms ![Myths in shibari (2-5): the confusion of terms](https://shibari-dojo.online/images/metodo/mtd0602en_lg.webp) In the West, we face **Japanese terminology that has already been reinterpreted along the way** and that often reaches us distorted and secondhand. This mediation produces a series of terms that end up being used not for what they really are or mean, but as altered versions of them. Sometimes, moreover, in a rather self-serving way. I am referring to the confusion, often deliberate, between *shibari*, *kinbaku* and *bondage*. Add to this, occasionally, other Japanese terms used opportunistically, in the hope that simply sounding exotic will do the trick. To understand part of the problem, it helps to remember that **Japanese is a deeply contextual language**. What is happening, who is involved, the place and the way an action unfolds all help give meaning to a word or phrase. To complicate things further, the Japanese scene itself has its own jargon. A jargon that can vary by region, context and historical moment and that, like any living language, is constantly evolving. That is why taking isolated words and turning them into fixed, universal and perfectly delimited concepts can work reasonably well when we use terms from Greek or classical Latin in a scientific context. In everyday language, things don’t necessarily work that way. A rather telling anecdote is that one of the searches related to so-called “Japanese bondage” is *chivari*, spelled with “ch” and “v.” A pretty clear sign of where things are heading. It is also curious to see that, in Japan, the term *bondage* is commonly used for certain practices we in the West call *shibari*. Meanwhile, we call bondage *shibari*, perhaps because it sounds more Japanese, more exotic or simply more sophisticated. ## Shibari, kinbaku and bondage Reality is much simpler than we sometimes like to make out. *Shibari* and *kinbaku* are Japanese words that, in many contexts, can be used to refer to the Japanese style of bondage. *Shibari*, as a verb, simply means **to tie** or **to bind things together**. It is not a word created specifically to talk about eroticism, BDSM or Japanese bondage. *Kinbaku*, for its part, refers to the action of tying or binding more tightly and, in certain contexts and uses, can carry a more obvious erotic charge, but let us be clear that it refers to a way of tying, not to a different practice. The term *kinbaku* appears in nineteenth-century medical and veterinary texts with the meaning of “tourniquet.” Its first appearance in a sexual context is found in **Izumi Kyouka**’s *Shunchū, Shunchū gokoku* (『春昼・春昼後刻』, 1906) and in **Miyamoto Yuriko**’s *Sensei e no tegami* (『先生への手紙』, 1919). Later, **Itoh Seiu** made a decisive contribution through painting, illustration and writing, and many people consider him the first to use *kinbaku* specifically to refer to sexual bondage with rope. In slang, which one is used depends mostly on context. The idea, widespread in the West, that *kinbaku* implies a more intense practice owes more to the need to stand out in a saturated market than to the meaning of the term. The difference, then, is in many cases **a matter of nuance and context rather than two completely different disciplines**. Conceptually separating *shibari* and *kinbaku* from Western bondage can, however, be useful from a descriptive point of view. Bondage covers enormously diverse practices: restraint with chains, immobilization, latex wrapping, sensory deprivation and many other forms of bodily restraint. In this sense we can use a fairly simple formula: **all shibari is bondage, but not all bondage is shibari**. The problem begins when we try to turn this operational difference into an absolute boundary. ## Closed or open definitions Here we enter especially slippery ground: that of **identity-based sexualities**. In certain contexts, people build part of their identity around the practices they engage in. The problem arises when that identity needs to set rigid boundaries in order to set itself apart. Then the debate is no longer “how can we describe this practice?” but becomes “this is shibari because I say so” or, at the other extreme, “if it isn’t done the way I consider correct, then it isn’t shibari.” **Identity politics applied to shibari** tries to set rigid boundaries on what does and doesn’t belong to the practice. And here all kinds of fallacies appear. “Shibari has to be the way I say, or it isn’t shibari.” This attitude can not only impoverish the practice and limit its evolution. In the worst cases, when a particular definition becomes a tool of authority, it can end up justifying some rather unhealthy dynamics. There is, of course, the opposite extreme too. Those who want to call **anything done with rope** “shibari.” And no, not everything we do with a rope is shibari either. However much we love rope. Macramé is still macramé. ## Our approach At Shibari Dojo we prefer to work with **operational definitions**. That is, we don’t try to establish a metaphysical, universal and unchanging definition of shibari. We use clear descriptions and criteria that let us include as many cases as possible and, at the same time, exclude with good reason whatever clearly belongs to something else. Without depending solely on tastes, personal preferences or who has the most followers. From this approach, shibari is understood as a practice whose historical development is linked mainly to **traditional trades** and, to a lesser extent, to certain influences from the martial arts. The harmonious, natural use of the body also matters, with special attention to ergonomics. The relationship between rope and body is not accidental: techniques are developed on a specific body structure, and that relationship is part of the result. Another element is the use of **geometry**, both in visual compositions and in building rope patterns. It is not just a matter of placing a rope around a body, but of building relationships between lines, tensions, directions and structures. And yes, **the use of rope** is also part of the definition. Obvious as it may seem, there is more than one myth around this too. Finally, our definition acknowledges its **Japanese origin**, at least from a historical perspective, without implying that every contemporary practice must stay frozen in a particular interpretation of that origin. Of course, other schools and other practitioners may use different definitions. They may apply the terms *shibari* or *kinbaku* to practices that differ considerably from ours. We will find purist, fundamentalist, commercial or simply personal approaches. And that’s fine. The problem arises when someone starting out in shibari comes across a collection of contradictory definitions and has no tools to understand why those differences exist. But, honestly, that isn’t unique to shibari either. It is quite similar to what happens when you want to replace a household appliance and start reading opinions online: you find incompatible criteria, contradictory recommendations and people completely convinced that their choice is the only right one. In the end you will have to understand what each one is saying, what criteria they use and decide what makes sense for you. **Nothing new under the sun.** --- This series of articles gathers the ideas and arguments set out in the online talk “Myths in Shibari,” organized by **Shibari Colombia** in April 2025. ## Custom Fields **Content Type — The formal and communicative nature of a piece of content, based on its documentary function.:** Article **Knowledge Type — The nature of knowledge according to its role within practice.:** Knowledge **Field of Study — The specific area of practice that the content focuses on.:** Principles **Corpus — A structured body of reference knowledge that underpins the content.:** Industry **Criteria — A cross-cutting perspective that defines the emphasis or intent from which the content is approached.:** Learning **Summary — A brief synthesis of the content that presents its main topics, purpose, or most relevant aspects.:** What shibari, kinbaku and bondage mean, why they get confused and how we work with operational definitions instead of rigid boundaries.