REDEFINING BONDAGE: GATA MEETS ROPE ARTIST HAJIME KINOKO
If you hear the word “bondage” what is the first thing that comes to mind? For many in Japan, shibari (the Japanese art of rope tying) has long had connotations associated with the worlds of BDSM, fetishism and counter-culture. Tracing its roots back in history, one even finds connections to law and order, with it being used as one of the primary means of restraining criminals for example. This form of martial art, known as hojojutsu, was employed by samurai to restrain and secure enemies of war. The ties used were meant to be extremely symbolic for the prisoners, and there was a great emphasis placed on torture and punishment. It is no wonder then, that even today, shibari is regarded as an embarrassing little secret to many—a practice mired in shame and ignominy.
Hajime Kinoko is a rope artist striving to change perceptions of shibari. For the past twenty-odd years, he has dedicated himself to pushing the limits of what can be imagined with this ancient art form. For Kinoko, this journey began with a reassessment of what should actually be tied. Forgoing the usual practice of tying only members of the opposite sex, he experimented with inanimate objects, venturing into nature and making use of what was readily available to him. He tied rock formations and trees, infusing his work with a sensibility that echoed Buddhist and Shinto ideas about interconnection and healing.
Upon returning to the city, he further developed his style, experimenting with toys and motorcycles, creating elaborate and ambitious patterns that, at first glance seem wildly detached from the world of BDSM and kink. In recent years, Kinoko has been invited to participate in major art installations across Tokyo, bringing his rope-tying skills to the streets of Harajuku, Roppongi, and Ginza. These large-scale installations bring a new perspective to the art form, portraying it in a light reminiscent of artists such as Chiharu Shiota or even Yayoi Kusama.
GATA met with the artist in the wake of his latest installation titled Link—a monumental construct of interlacing pink ropes designed exclusively for Roppongi Art Night 2024. The conversation traced the history of his art journey as well as his thoughts on balancing the eros of bondage with the artistic expression he currently finds himself in.
Accompanying the interview is an exclusive editorial shot by Hajime in collaboration with the GATA team.
GATA: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us Hajime. Could you please introduce yourself to the GATA audience?
Hajime: I’m a contemporary rope and bondage artist. I focus on themes of connection and tying rather than binding. I tie up small and delicate objects such as flowers as well as huge objects such as buildings. In the past I’ve also created large human-shaped constructs and “jungle gyms” created out of only rope.
GATA: How did your journey into shibari (the Japanese art of rope tying) begin?
Hajime: Around 25 years ago, when I was 20, I was dating a girl who was an SM fanatic, and I just started to feel the urge to tie her up. We eventually broke up, so I have no idea what she is up to these days.
GATA: When you first started, what were some of the difficulties that faced you?
Hajime: Around 25 to 10 years ago, the difficulty was that whenever I told people that I liked shibari, all I got were negative comments. They would say things such as “it’s scary or gross”. In the past, Japan was a much more conservative place than it is today. I wanted to change this perception and show people that bondage is wonderful. I tried over and over again to bind things and spaces, rather than people. I did this so that the artistry of bondage would be recognised without any prejudice, rather than just focus on eroticism. Now, little by little, people are beginning to understand that bondage is this wonderful thing, and I’m really happy about that.
GATA: Why do you think there was such a pushback by traditionalists of shibari against your new style?
Hajime: It’s a mystery to me. I don’t understand it at all because I don’t feel that way. [There is a saying in Japanese] “The nail that sticks out, gets hammered down.” I think this sums it up. I think I was more polite and courteous than the other bondage lovers around me, which caused some jealousy.
GATA: Shibari has its orgins in haya nawajutsu and hojōjutsu, traditional Japanese techniques used to restrain criminals; does your rope tying still employ the same techniques or has contemporary shibari evolved since then?
Hajime: It is evolving. Or rather, it is more accurate to say that the purpose has changed. In the past, it was purely for capturing criminals, now it’s more about sexual desire or other things. Even from the perspective of safety, the purpose of binding criminals versus ordinary people has changed, and as a result, the way of tying has also changed. Modern medicine has advanced, and so has our understanding of where it is dangerous to tie a rope. Therefore, what was done in the past is completely different from now.
GATA: For people learning the art form of shibari, what do you believe are some important principles to respect?
Hajime: Shibari is largely divided into two categories: “art” and “play”. I am skilled in both and teach them as well.
“Play shibari”, also known as bondage, involves tying someone up to enjoy pleasure or pain, and it functions as a form of communication between the person tying and the person being tied. For beginners and intermediate practitioners, it’s important to mimic the techniques of a teacher to avoid injuries. Advanced practitioners, on the other hand, can create and enjoy their own unique styles of bondage. However, in the case of “art shibari", where my creations are expressions of my own art, I sometimes see people copying them, which I consider to be plagiarism. I would like people to stop this practice and at the very least, to clearly state that their work is a homage to mine.
GATA: Control, beauty and eroticism are all important aspects of shibari, but do you think that there is an aspect of the tradition that is overlooked? Are there any common misconceptions about shibari?
Hajime: I don't think there are. In the first place, bondage can be expressed in many different forms, all with very high potential. Art of course, but also sex, BDSM, playground equipment, exercise, spiritual healing, etc. I am aware that it is no longer the case to say that “this is way it should be.”
GATA: You have talked in the past about wanting to change the perception of shibari; moving it away from just the erotic and fetishist world and more into that of the artistic and fashionable. How do you think mainstream perceptions of shibari have changed within Japan in the last 10 years?
Hajime: It doesn’t feel like shibari has become art, but rather that it has branched out. I personally still like bondage as a kink and changing [the perception of] it would mean its disappearance. Shibari as eros and sexual desire will exist forever. Various bondage arts have emerged, created by people like myself who became more interested in the artistic side rather than the erotic side. However, the majority of shibari is still focused on the sexual side of it. This eros and art are closely intertwined. Eros exists within art, and art exists within eros. Those two will continue to coexist within the world of shibari.
GATA: You have mentioned in the past that rope tying has a purifying effect; in your opinion what is the connection to shibari and spirituality or religion?
Hajime: I think that it has an incredible purifying effect. You hug someone who looks sad, right? I believe that’s a very natural action that fills a person’s heart. Bondage allows you to engage in that act of embracing. After more than 20 years of practising bondage, the rope has become an extension of my hands.
“I’ve handled the rope for much longer than most people have held chopsticks or forks, so for me, the rope is almost like a second hand. With that “long hand”, I can wrap the rope around every part of a wounded person’s body. I don’t think it’s possible for someone not to feel healed after being bound.”
GATA: Has there always been a connection between Shinto, Buddhism and shibari?
Hajime: In Shinto, rope is used for shimenawa (straw rope typically found at holy sites), marking the boundary between the realm of the gods and that of humans. Since the amulet of Amaterasu (Japan’s ancient goddess of the sun)— said to be at the centre of Shinto—is made from hemp from Ise, I suspect that hemp material used for rope is considered sacred. I haven't researched this, but that's how I think of it.
In Buddhism, there is also the deity Fudō Myō-ō, who holds a sword and a rope in his hands. It is said that he binds worldly desires with the rope and destroys them with the sword. So, I believe that the act of binding helps purify and save people in that sense.
GATA: We read that when Nobuyoshi Araki exhibited in the Sex Museum in New York, he invited you to come along too. What does your relationship with Araki mean to you?
Hajime: I’m a huge fan of Araki san! That’s all there is to it. I met him only once, and he got angry with me (laughs). At that time, he didn’t know who I was. He said, “Are you a bondage master?! I hate bondage masters! You only care about the rope knots, bondage is meant to immobilise women! Don’t underestimate women! Despite being scolded and not fully understanding why, I remember being incredibly happy. I’m not sure why…
It was a valuable learning experience because I got to understand his perspective on bondage. Araki-san with his unique charm, changes and supports the feminine spirit, adding a magical touch with his use of rope. I think he’s truly like a magician with rope.
I still feel like I lack the human touch needed to achieve that level. I can’t replicate it. I express connections, but I can only do so in a way that vaguely speaks to the world rather than offers a more personal touch. I still have a long way to go in my training.
GATA: You mentioned in the past that Western culture has a concept of eternal beauty rather than a beauty of extinction that exists within Japanese aesthetics; could you explain this a little bit more?
Hajime: In the past, there was a BDSM magazine in Japan called SM Sniper, which was the "bible" for enthusiasts, published by a company called Taiyotosho. That magazine has since been discontinued, but an editor from Taiyotosho was still working at the company. That person was well-versed in art, and when I was just starting out, they taught me many things over drinks. One of those was the concept in Japanese art of the "beauty of impermanence." Overseas, beauty is seen as eternal, like a diamond. This idea made a lot of sense to me.
“Japan is a country with four distinct seasons: in summer, the trees turn green; in autumn, the plants wither and turn red and yellow; in winter, the snow falls, and all the leaves disappear, leaving a feeling of loneliness. Then, in spring, life is born again, and the trees bud. We experience these changes and feel the beauty in them.”
Hajime: From my experience visiting various countries, I can confidently say that the Japanese are those who most enjoy these changes. I believe that the Japanese are moved by the shifts in the seasons and feel beauty in them. I also feel this way about shibari (rope binding). In shibari, you tie someone because it's necessary for them. So, perhaps there are people who feel at peace, thinking, "I am needed because I am being tied." However, after tying someone, you must eventually untie them—there is always an end. There’s sadness in this, and the rope marks, called nawako (rope scars), gradually fade from the skin. In this, I feel the same sense of beauty as in Japanese aesthetics, and I believe that the Japanese hold this dear.
GATA: Lastly, do you have any future plans that you can share with us?
Hajime: I don't have any plans, but I do want to tie up something I’ve never tied up before. Something I’m interested in.
GATA: Thank you so much Hajime!
ROPE ART + PHOTOGRAPHY: HAJIME KINOKO
INTERVIEW + CONCEPT: JAMES ELLIOTT