The Beauty of Kinbaku
Or everything you always wanted to know about Japanese erotic bondage when you suddenly realized that you didn't speak Japanese
Meetings With Remarkable Men
A Trip to Japan - Meetings with Remarkable Men #2b-
A Surprise from Nureki Chimuo Continues
by Master "K"
As promised last time, here is the second blog post penned by the great Nureki Chimuo regarding the photo shoot he created and I attended this past June in Tokyo. It gives further insights into his working methods, more discussion of the term kuzushi nawa ("random rope") as well as more details about the aesthetic considerations he brings to his kinbaku.
In this post he also talks more about his working with the remarkable and beautiful model Sawato Fuyuki, one of sensei's favorites, who was the "star" of this Mania Club magazine photo shoot. As a witness to their session, I can personally attest to her profound response to Nureki sensei's shibari and their close rapport, a marvel to behold. I should also add that I feel sensei's comments about the "compelling story" existing within every truly passionate kinbaku model and that rope being "the tool for bringing that story to life" go to the very heart of kinbaku photographic art.
Once again I thank my lovely assistant Faviola for her expert translation.
I hope you'll join me next time as my adventures in Tokyo's world of kinbaku continue and I encounter the legendary, brilliant and delightful Yukimura Haruki.
Please note: no part of these articles may be reproduced by any means without the express written consent of the author or the publisher, King Cat Ink.
Nureki Chimuo's Chat Theater 142
Kuzushi nawa and serious rope
2010.7.17
I received a telephone call from an old friend, N, who has read every episode of this "chat theater." N said:
". . . Looking at your bondage scene, I can't help but keep thinking about this "kuzushi nawa" that the American Master K mentioned. Could you explain a little bit more in detail about it?"
N, since there are people who have a passion about "rope," there's naturally an interest in the term "kuzushi nawa" that Master K commented on. However, it's difficult to give a concrete explanation over the phone. It's more than difficult, it's impossible.
I couldn't help saying, "Please look at it in the magazine that will be coming out soon." Honestly, "kuzushi nawa" wasn't really on my mind as I tied the model Fuyuki during the photo session.
Again, "kuzushi nawa" is a "coined word" that the beautiful interpreter Ms. A conveyed to me through the text of a letter from Master K that she translated into Japanese for me. But that doesn't mean that I was conscious of "kuzushi nawa" as I tied Fuyuki.
But again and again over the past few decades, I wasn't following procedures to make forms, I was just trying more or less to do real "bondage." It was something that I secretly called "serious rope" in my mind.
I've tried to tie Fuyuki with "serious bondage" before, but there wasn't any sense of tension among the surrounding staff, and I didn't think about it. And I really wasn't caring about the "rope" either.
That's how it is.
Rope is a living thing.
Rope is not simply a material.
I've been writing about this for 45 years now, and it's the title of one of my books, "rope is a living thing." The color cover of the book is done by Minomura Kou.
Truthfully, the atmosphere in most photo sessions is dull and pointless.
There is a lack of tension in the female model, cameraman, staff and even myself, and I really am not usually concerned about something like "serious rope."
The scene atmosphere falls flat if there is even one person with a low understanding about SM. And if there's a single person lacking concentration around me, I can hardly get energized myself.
Huh? Excuse me?
Is that normal?
Ah, yes it is.
On the other hand, the atmosphere during the photography the other day was good, and "serious rope" appropriately appeared.
The excited facial expressions and euphoric eye color of Master K, who has investigated it from America, made me feel wonderful.
For me, the session steadily grew into "serious rope."
N then insistently asked, "Please explain in a little more detail. What kind of way of tying is "serious rope? How is it different from "kuzushi nawa?"
No, it's something passionate related to bondage. "Because of that, it can't be explained over the phone. It'll be obvious when you look at the magazine. You'll understand right away." I said.
The front door banged as I was speaking. A big letter from the producer, Kou Yamanouchi, arrived through the mail. It had six 80 yen stamps affixed to it. It was special delivery.
"Just a moment. . . ." I told N and cut the envelope with scissors. By coincidence, it was the magazine proof sheets that I was just telling N about, and it also included all 50 pages of my proofread text copy. "I'm sorry, N, but I have to cut the call short. Let's talk again later."
I hung up the phone.
I spread the galley proofs on the desk. Was this the kind of bondage that Master K and the beautiful interpreter called "kuzushi nawa?"
At a glance it didn't look so different.
The usual rope forms had only a little "dishevelment" or "disarrangement" in the way they were tied. It's not an exceptional change, but since the model's reaction is good, the "kuzushi nawa" is alive.
At the same time the model is painfully breathing, the rope is also painfully breathing. When using "kuzushi nawa" to put in some spirit into the female recipient this intensity doesn't come out if the model's goal is merely to do a job for the so-called fans. Fuyuki's goal isn't just to get paid. An inevitable compelling story exists within her. Rope is the tool for bringing that story to life. And then the cameraman Kei, without excess direction, honestly and loyally captures her true form as it responds to the "kuzushi nawa."
The lighting and the angles are good.
Thank you, Kei. You brought my rope to life well. You have my gratitude.
Fuyuki's confessional writings are being published together with the photos. Truthfully, it's a good writing style and skillfully written.
Included with the galley proofs was a letter to me from the producer, Kou Yamanouchi, which read "I received the very valuable manuscript. I shivered when I read it."
So far, I've written here and there that Fuyuki has a deep dark story hidden within her. "Rope" makes that story explode.
And since we're here now, I'll explain it clearly.
A kinbaku model must possess a story within herself. This "bondage type" tries to put a lot of power into the reaction to the tying, otherwise it ends up becoming a "cruelty endurance contest" or a "rope circus." Of course, people who like "cruelty endurance contests" and "rope circuses" would welcome it. However, it isn't very attractive to people who prefer deep sensual pleasures and the most stimulating things in the "rope world."
There was an age when things like camera clubs didn't exist. We had to go to a lot of trouble searching for women who we could get to become models. Tying and photographing women like that was mostly done by oneself, and these women possessed heavy stories. In the photos taken of these women, even though the photography techniques were kind of poor, they radiated a brilliant "SM" light full of charm.
No, these nostalgic things of the past are gone now.
Yet even today there must be women who hold hair-raising stories deep in their hearts.
They are in the world. They can't be all gone.
In any case, we gathered a great deal during this photo session.
