The SM Detective

A reader wrote to me inquiring about a video he had seen online. He believed the title was Kunoichi and he supplied the URL. He was interested in getting more information on this video.

I checked it out. Although this was definitely a Japanese video, the site in question was completely in English. Furthermore, it appeared that someone had uploaded virtually the entire video. It's a free streaming site and the video was broken up into four segments. I link to, or embed, short videos and trailers. I don't link to these kinds of sites for obvious reasons.

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Awhile ago I mentioned that I was in the process of writing a script for a kick ass piece of video schlock that I was intending to shop around. Well, the script has been finished and I finally visited the first place on my list which just happens to be the biggest purveyor of porn in Japan.

I had been to this place once before several years ago. At that time, I just breezed through the front door and into the elevator. There was an elderly gentleman serving as a security guard of sorts on the first floor but he just smiled and waved me along.

I wasn't as lucky this time.

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Here's another pretty decent flick from the long list of stories by Oniroku Dan adapted to the big screen by Nikkatsu. Shoujo Shibari Ezu (Image of a Bound Girl) was released in 1980 and directed by Masaru Konuma. Konuma is well known for having directed some very famous SM movies, including the two Woman in a Box movies and the original Hana to Hebi (Flower and Snake).

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Here's the official press release for the London Festival of the Art of Japanese Bondage. The event is just around the corner so if you're in the vicinity, it looks like something well worth attending. -- KJ

London Festival of the Art of Japanese Bondage, 25-28 June, 2009

The London Festival of the Art of Japanese Bondage will be totally unique. We are keen to promote kinbaku (aka shibari/Japanese rope bondage) as an artistic inspiration, a performance art in its own right and as a means of erotic communication, whilst sharing knowledge about it and its cultural context.

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It seems an age ago that we were in Japan. Life has been hectic since I came back as I have found myself involved in co-organising the London Festival of the Art of Japanese Bondage.

This is going to be totally unique and we are getting international support and contributors. It will promote kinbaku as an artistic inspiration, a performance art in its own right and as a means of erotic communication, whilst sharing knowledge about it and its cultural context.

What with that, plus shows, forthcoming trips to Geneva and Barcelona and all the other aspects of trying to make a living in the world of rope, I haven't had a lot of time to write.

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はじめまして、のえと申します。関西在住、日本人、性別♀でございます。アメリカには個人でネットラジオをしている方が結構いらっしゃるようで、緊縛 をテーマにしてはるのがGraydancerさんのRopecast.

先日そのRopecastで、Graydancerと有末剛氏のインタビューの通訳をつとめる栄誉にあずかりました。何も知らないわたくしですが、こぐれさんのご助力を得て、妙な聞き間違いをしつつも、皆様とお話できて楽しかったです。

だいたい日本人は真剣で勤勉、アメリカ人はもう少し楽しくリラックスしているイメージがあるのですが、Graydancerのインタビューの質問からは真剣さというか、まじめに研究している感じが感じ取れます。思いこみはいかんね。

有末さんとこぐれさんは今頃もうヨーロッパツアーに出発なさったことと思います。頑張ってね～！

Hello and nice to meet you. I'm Noe, a Japanese girl who lives in the Kansai area. I'm "Noe" on FetLife too, so look me up if you like.

I had the honor the other day of acting as an interpreter on Graydancer's interview with Arisue Go, a Japanese kinbaku artist. Arisue-san was very nice to talk with, and it was fun to chat with everyone involved. I would not have been able to do the interpretation without a lot of help from Kogure-san. I'm a newbie, and I know little about kinbaku, or BDSM in general.

Graydancer's questions were interesting to me in a way that I can see how serious the American enthusiasts are about kinbaku. The general preconception is that the Japanese are a serious and diligent people, the Americans more fun-loving and relaxed. Yet, I can clearly see how Graydancer thinks seriously about kinbaku.

As far as Arisue-san's answers are concerned, I'll leave it to you to listen to the interview.

Now I think Arisue-san and Kogure-san have already departed for their European tour. I wish them a lot of success and fun!

Arisue Go, noted bakushi with over three decades of experience and rope master for the newest Hana to Hebi films, has already left for Europe with his partner, Kogure. Among other things, they will be attending KinbaCon as special invited guests. Arisue-san will be teaching authentic Japanese kinbaku to the lucky attendees.

Before they left, the pair were able to put the finishing touches on their new book: Arisue Go's Kinbaku: Mind and Techniques 1. I understand they took several copies with them to Europe. The rest of us will have to wait until May 27 when the book starts shipping officially.

Almost forgot to mention: this book is written in English. A lot of folks in the West have been clamoring for an instruction book on kinbaku written by an acknowledged master of the art.

I believe this is the first time a Japanese bakushi has put out a book actually aimed at the English-speaking market. To be honest, I'm not aware of any instructional manuals which have even been translated into English, let alone written specifically for Western rope enthusiasts who aspire to learn the ropes in the classic Japanese way.

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My friend and I did, indeed, make it over to Kabukicho on Monday evening to check out what was going on at Loft/Plus One. Neither one of us had detailed information on the event. The only thing we knew was that the celebrated Mira Kurumi would take the stage.

As I mentioned earlier, Mira Kurumi is one of the hardest practitioners of SM in Japan -- of those who ply their trade in public, at least. I used to consider Shima Shikou a hard player, and still do, but Kurumi makes even Shima look rather tame.

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Before I get to the main event, just thought I'd mention that the previous post, the Master "K" interview, broke all the records around here. The interview seems to have been very well received. For a guy who doesn't toot his own horn, Master "K" is certainly well known in the community of serious Japanese bondage aficionados.

In other news, a friend alerted me to the fact that Loft Plus One will be hosting the notorious Mira Kurumi in some sort of event coming up soon. I'm going to try to get to this to see about covering it for the blog.

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