Shibari by Seito Saiki

Shibari Everything You Want to Know About Japanese Bondage is a short, illustrated guide written by Japanese master Seito Saiki. It offers step by step instructions on how to do all the basic ties a Shibari practitioner must know. It is a short, practical book that works as a perfect guide for anyone who is stepping into the world of bondage.

Master Saiki offers a brief but insightful introduction on what Shibari is. It is important to notice that, as he says, Shibari works on different levels: physical, emotional, psychological, and even spiritual. To have a genuine Shibari experience, you must understand all these various levels. The author makes the case for Shibari as an art, pointing that it takes time, commitment, and skill, just as any other art requires.

Seito Saiki also indicates the difference between Shibari and Kinbaku. For him, Shibari, while erotic, is essentially an artistic display. Kinbaku, on the other hand, is more akin to BDSM and emphasizes the sexual aspects which are more subtle in Shibari.

For this Japanese master, Shibari is not just about knots. It is also a way to tell stories and to express emotions. Deprivation and degradation are the actual opposites of Shibari. That is why consent and communication should always be clear and strong among participants.

The rest of this brief book is a thorough but brief guide on how to construct several types of Shibari knots, from the simpler to the more complex. All in all, it provides the reader with a repertoire of eleven knots.

It is important to note that this guide does not offer photographs as illustrations. This is in order not to distract the reader from the technique being taught. Rather, it is illustrated with drawings which show every step of the tying in the most accessible way.

Shibari Everything You Want to Know About Japanese Bondage is a quick, thorough guide for the beginner in the art of Japanese rope bondage.