Fair warning: some of these pictures may be slightly NFSW… unless you work in a rope factory.
Everybody has their own special thing they like. Some people like sawing open gachapon machines, some people like wearing shirts that show off their fake ample bosoms, and some people like walking around the streets of Japan practically naked.
And if that special weird thing that you like happens to be people getting tied up, then you may want to get to know Kinoko Hajime, an internationally-famous rope bondage artist that has held shows and workshops in countries all over the world.
Hajime is particularly well-known for combining Japanese kimono and ikebana (flower arrangement) aesthetics in his bondage art. Check out some of the work he’s featured on his official Insatagram below!
▼ If the combination of bondage and Japanese art sounds strange,
take a look at “Woman Tied up at Night Illuminated by Sakura.”
▼ The art may be a little uncomfortable,
but that is most certainly the artist’s intent.
Hajime has this to say about the philosophy behind his bondage art:
“More than eternal beauty, Japanese people see the beauty in things that have a beginning and an end, like the seasons. I feel that the beauty of something that is tied up, then released, is very Japanese. It is said that the closer you get to the spirit of bondage, the more connected you become to the heart of zen.”
And then there’s the “cuter” side of Japan that gets the bondage treatment too!
▼ Not sure how that cat got stuck in this trap,
but it doesn’t look too unhappy about it.
▼ We’ll, um, just leave this one here.
▼ At an exhibition in Sapporo, Hajime tied up willing guests
so they could get the authentic “bondage art” experience.
▼ Another exhibition volunteer. Am I crazy for wanting to climb in there
and have someone wind me up so I can spin around?
▼ And sometimes people were part of the exhibition too,
like this bondage piece for a show in Baltimore, USA.
▼ But even Hajime understands that sometimes you have to let go
of all the serious art stuff and just have some neon fun.
▼ Even the Sailor Suit Old Man approves!
If you want to see more of Hajime’s bondage art, then give him a follow on Instagram. You may discover a whole new part of yourself that, up until now, had been all tied up inside.
Source: Instagram/hajimekinoko via AFP BB News
Featured/top image: Instagram/hajimekinoko