Shibari Study Blog: rope bondage advice, interviews and insights

Tying with a rope partner who experiences chronic pain is a chance to advocate for accessibility and expand your own practice in the process. Here’s how to start showing up…

Why what I need now might not be what I’ll need later (and because some experiences really do ask for chocolate).

Going to a Domme for your mommy issues? BDSM instead of SSRIs? And let’s not even get started on CBT… Aria Vega asks what we’re all thinking: is kink actually therapeutic?

We tend to think of shibari and rope bondage as an activity for two, yet more and more people are embracing self bondage and tying solo. Here’s why…

Sign up or stay clear? Finding a safe(r) and reputable shibari dojo, rope studio or BDSM dungeon starts here with our how-to for assessing if a space is right for you.

Looking for ways to expand your rope practice? Your instinct might tell you to “think bigger”, but what about zooming in? Microbondage may be just the little big idea you’re after…

Switching in shibari – that is, moving between the roles of tying or being tied – offers more than new rope skills or experiences. Instead, it might just shift your perspective entirely.

Communication in kinky scenes is an integral safeguard against misunderstandings and uncertainty, yet intimate experiences are rarely so predictable or neatly contained by negotiation alone.

Get in, rigger! We’re going back to basics with five follow-along drills courses designed for better rope bondage.

What is shibari and why do people do it? If you’re ready to start wrapping your head around the increasingly popular practice of Japanese rope bondage, keep reading...

A familiar face to Shibari Study fans and rope bondage nerds alike, Gorgone’s passion and vision have left an indelible mark on the shibari world.

Unfairly maligned icon or fallen-from-grace tie from days gone by? If you’re thinking of giving box ties another chance – or cutting them out of your shibari practice completely – read on…

Ready to add a kinky twist to your sex life? Just add rope. Here are five spicy Shibari Study classes that put the ‘bonding’ in rope bondage, plus five bonus classes to take your play into overtime…

Seiu Ito is a central figure in the history of kinbaku and shibari as we know them. Today, on his birthday, we celebrate International Kinbaku Day and pay tribute to his life, inspiration and vision.

We all look, feel and move differently in bondage. Five rope bottoms share the unseen “limitations” that shape their practice and how they’ve learned to love their bodies in rope.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and whether you’re looking for gifts for your Dom or sub, or simply want to spice up date night with some BDSM flavor, we’ve got your kinky inspiration…

This Valentine’s month, let the lovers have their hearts and chocolates and allow shibari to be a tool to cultivate intimacy in the not-so-obvious romances in your life.

Every rope session is an opportunity to welcome more intentionality into your shibari practice. If the new year has you feeling inspired, here’s how to start…

For many kinky folks, shibari is a means to a (hopefully) sexy end but how do you actually do it while, uh, doing it? Consider this your ultimate guide to bringing rope bondage into the bedroom.

A no-bullshit guide to exactly what you need to start practicing rope bondage for the first time (and it’s less than you might think).

A safer and rewarding shibari practice requires getting to know your ropes intimately. Here’s how to recognise when your bondage rope is reaching the end of its life cycle…

No Halloween outfit? No problem. These five wearable shibari bondage harnesses will add a ropey twist to anything you do – or don’t – decide to wear…

Long before you step into any sort of D/s dynamic or engage in risky types of play, vetting is one of the first steps you can take towards informed, safer and more consensual rope scenes.

When established local scenes, reputable shibari educators and organized in-person learning are a literally-distant dream, how can we build rope skills in geographically isolated communities?

Nerve compression injury is one of the most common risks of shibari and, as one experienced rope bottom writes, recovery can be an emotional as well as a physical process.

Their fates bound together perhaps a little more literally than most, Anatomie Studio founders Fred Hatt and Anna Bones’ story is an ode to love, to vision, and – of course – to ropes.

When it comes to suspending in rope bondage, equipping yourself and your tying partner for a mutually successful outcome starts long before the first ropes are laid…

After a decade of Fifty Shades of Grey, where is kink and BDSM in pop culture headed next?

From soft and gentle to straight-up sadistic, there’s a rope fiber for every fancy. Here’s how the Twisted Monk team uses them to intensify tying intentions.

J explores how disability and identity intersect in their navigation of (chronic) pain and pleasure, and non-normative ways of being, living, loving and fucking. 

Wondering how to stop your shibari ropes from coming unraveled or frayed at the ends? Read on to learn how stopper knots and whipping can preserve the longevity of your rope.

Think outside the box-tie, with these five upper body shibari harnesses that don’t bind the arms…

Co-founder of Embodiment Rope Space in Cape Town, Astrid shares her advice for hosting your first social rope events.

It’s been said that there’s no reward without risk – and there’s certainly no rope bondage without risk. To make the most of your practice as a rope bottom, understand where things could go wrong too.

Aria Vega speaks to Atlanta-based rope bondage educator Ms. Reemah to discuss connecting through kink, the human condition, and her two greatest passions: teaching and rope.

A deeper dive into different natural fibers in rope, types of rope and their pros and cons in shibari. By Mo Bights

A deeper dive into different man-made or synthetic fibers in rope, types of rope and their pros and cons in shibari. By Mo Bights

How you end your rope scene is just as important as how you begin it – here’s why you should include some TLC in your BDSM…

Shibari can take us into simultaneously vulnerable, empowering and intense spaces, both physically and emotionally. For rope bottoms, reflecting on their bodies in rope is often part of the journey.

Taking up a new hobby for the new year or wanting to make some better-rope resolutions? Rope bottoms share their experiences for safer, enjoyable and more fulfilling rope bottoming.

No matter your skill level, these five rope resolutions will make for better, more intentional and more connective tying in 2025 and beyond.

From rope bondage games to shibari safety essentials presented as you’ve never seen them before, here are the Shibari Study classes we loved in 2024.

A small disclaimer on Japanese language and cultural appropriation in shibari as well as why we use the words we do.

From motivation to practice to play, level up your harness game as two rope educators dive deep into a conversation about harness learning in ropes…

Thinking of starting a dedicated local rope bondage space in your hometown? Read this for some lessons learned doing exactly that.

Join us as we take a deeper dive into rope and the pros and cons of different types of rope construction for bondage.

Insights from the Shibari Study Discord community on what they wish they’d known at the beginning of their shibari journeys.

Tie, write, reflect, repeat: here’s how keeping a journal can help rope bottoms cultivate self-knowledge in and out of ropes.

A quick look at ‘rope space’ and the science behind the psychological peaks (and comedowns) of BDSM.

You’ve invested in your rope kit, now how do you care for it? Here’s how Shibari Study community manager Mo Bights cares for and conditions natural fibre rope…

Aria Vega sits down with Fuoco to discuss a high-flying career that has traversed circus arts, shibari and, frequently, various continents in the name of both.

Detangle fact from fiction as we pick apart some of the most common misconceptions you may encounter when learning shibari.

These five free Shibari Study tying performances offer dynamic and fascinating fly-on-the-wall insights into real rope scenes.

Reflections on building a dedicated rope bondage community space from scratch.

Learning shibari for the first time? Knowing where to start can be tricky, so read on for some fundamental stepping stones…

Because there’s more to consent in kink than ‘yes’ and ‘no’, these popular BDSM tenets offer consent frameworks for better play.

Ready or knot? If you’re looking to learn shibari and don't know where (or how) to begin, read on…

A brief explainer about the intersection of the personal and the political in terms of kink, BDSM and cultural norms.

Co-owner of Singapore-based rope bondage studio That Rope Place, Rosa Canina shares her tips for making the right impression at your first rope jam.

Picking the right ropes for your bondage practice starts here. Check out our short-and-sweet intro to some shibari rope fundamentals.

When does a rope become a rope and not a string? Understanding how ropes work can help you make better choices when it comes to picking ropes for shibari.

What are your rope kit essentials? Insights into the equipment members of the Shibari Study Discord community bring to tying sessions, rope events and social jams.

The people bringing Shibari Study to your screens, scenes and wherever else being a rope nerd finds you.