Books about Shibari

Hello my curious friends! You probably are wondering, if there is any good reading about shibari. Yes, there is! Here is a starter list of books about shibari with my very short descriptions. You can also watch this video, where I describe these books.

1.  Knots and Knot Lore. Cyrus L. Day.  https://www.jstor.org/stable/1520741?seq=1

If you want to know more about the connection between knots and folklore, this is the work you need to read. Very interesting insight on the meaning of ropes.

2. Yoshiwara. Cecilia Segawa Seigle. 1993.  https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-asian-studies/article/abs/yoshiwara-the-glittering-world-of-the-japanese-courtesan-by-cecilia-segawa-seigle-honolulu-university-of-hawaii-press-1993-xiv-310-pp-2995/F735BEF240C7D1ABF7D6759DF9986EE5

An easy-to-read book about the culture of a pleasure district of Edo period in Japan , the Yoshiwara quarter. How is this connected to shibari? Read it and find out!

3. The sexual life of Japan being an exhaustive study of the nightless city or the History of the Yoshiwara Yūkwaku.  https://www.amazon.com/sexual-life-Japan-exhaustive-nightless-ebook/dp/B00A41EFSS

Great significance and value to literature. When you have already learned the basics of Yoshiwara life from book#2, you can get to this one and dive deeper.

4. Fertility and Pleasure: Ritual and Sexual Values in Tokugawa Japan. Willian R. Lindsey.  https://www.amazon.com/Fertility-Pleasure-Ritual-Sexual-Tokugawa/dp/0824830369

A great book for understanding the patterns of sexual behavior in the Edo period. It shows you the rituals a woman had to deal with on different stages of life. Transitions from a daughter to a wife, or to a courtesan, from a courtesan to a wife. Not really about shibari, but will help you understand love aspects of Japanese culture better.

5. Sense & Shibari: A Sociological Re-evaluation of the Knowledge of Rope bondage. Hedwig. http://senseshibari.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/SensesShibari1.pdf

This  dissertation  was one of the first pieces of literature I read about shibari. The author got  into shibari and talked to rope people, studying the ways that people make sense of the Japanese rope tradition and exploring the psychological aspects of this art.

6. Essence of Shibari: Kinbaku and Japanese Rope Bondage. Shin Nawakiri. https://www.amazon.com/Essence-Shibari-Kinbaku-Japanese-Bondage-ebook/dp/B071172T7N

Everybody probably already knows about this one. This book has a little bit of theory, and ties to practice, that are very good for beginners! I also like the description of shibari by Shin, helps you understand the variety of ways of shibari.

7. Two Knotty Boys Showing You The Ropes: A Step-by-Step, Illustrated Guide for Tying Sensual and Decorative Rope Bondage https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Morpheous/dp/1937866378

By well known Knotty Boys. Very nice practical guide, easy to follow.

8. Gestalta Teaches Shibari Suspensions. By Gestalta.

This is my favorite shibari practice book. I’m not saying that others are not good, but this one is just so well done, covers safety, theoretical aspects, and gives very detailed guide!  I love that Gestalta not only shows how two do things, but explains why you do them that way.

I hope this list of shibari books helps you choose your first book! Enjoy reading!

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