Please visit Mr Osada Steve’s website to read the original interview in English at

TokyoBound on this link. Enjoy!

The above calligraphy by Yukimura Haruki (雪村 春樹) shows the bakushi (縛師) name Harumine (春嶺) he has bestowed on Osada Steve (長田スティーブ) — who is entering his fourth year of apprenticeship in unlocking the secrets of newaza (寝技) aka The Caressing Style.

Osada Steve:

“It is a great honor to have been accepted as a student by the undisputed King of Newaza. When I entered into this apprenticeship back in 2006, I thought this would be easy sailing as most of the Shibari is taking place on the floor. Well, I was in for a big surprise. On one hand the ties look amazingly simple, on the other hand they are very complex. Even though I am having the opportunity to apply what I am learning in the field — mostly during my regular Kinbaku Live events at Studio SIX— as a kind of “homework”, I am having a hard time catching up with what is being taught to me.

I have come to realize that the actual shibarikata (bondage patterns) only form a very small percentage of Yukimura-ryu. The essence of the Yukimura style of Kinbaku is “the way” the rope is applied — in a very calculated way, in a caressing manner to facilitate a deeply emotional connection between bakushi and model. This will not only open the opportunity for very satisfactory sessions, but will also result in those special (or shall I say unique?) facial expressions that Japanese women in rope are so famous for.  All combined, at the end of the day, these are the secrets of shuuchinawa (羞恥縄) – and these techniques involve much, much more than just putting rope on a woman.

It is these concepts and techniques that are hard to teach — and consequently hard to learn. After several years of intensive study I am beginning to get a grasp of this. At the same time, I realize that I still have a lot to learn.”