Rope: Community and Culture
During my recent trip to Japan, I was struck by a recurring theme. In four separate conversations with some of the older rope artists...
Rope and Kindness
Sometimes the impetus for reflection comes from the most unlikely places. A few years ago, I bought a woodblock print by Toshikata titled "Yamanouchi Kazutoyo's...
Aibunawa and Semenawa: Pleasure and Endurance
A lesson from Yukimura sensei
Not long before Yukimura sensei passed away I was lucky to be able to spend some time with him in...
Tying the One Rope Gote
When I think about tying, I think about the one rope gote. It is one of the easiest ties to do, but one of...
Stop the Gossiping and Griping!
“Did you hear that so-and-so injured someone last week?”
“I won’t tie with that person. I heard they’re a rapist.”
“So I heard that so-and-so got...
Haiku of Rope
I have been thinking a lot about the relationship between rope and words, particularly in relation to the practice of tying.
I was struck by...
The Heart of Kinbaku
At the beginning of December I visited Japan. It was a trip that was a personal journey for me for a lot of different...
Rope and Connection: Ichi go ichi e
Perhaps the biggest buzzword in rope today is "connection."
It is a difficult concept to put into words and even more so to teach. When...
Kinbaku in Context: Reading Nureki’s Kinbiken
When Akira Naka tells the story of how he learned rope, he begins with the story of Kinbiken, Nureki Chimuo's monthly rope salon in...
Rope is Love
Exploring the heart of kinbaku
Rope is not about Rope
Wykd_Dave discusses his philosophy of rope and people.
One Way into Kinbaku
Docvale's journey into kinbaku.