Kepcuk, Arkansas
After repeated warnings from social media groups, private messages, and several rounds of public shaming, brand new rope top Michael McMilan, 32, purchased a “How To” shibari book and learned how to perform a “hands behind the back tie” using two ropes.
Master Nawashi, one of the many who counseled against such learned was actually able to review the tie in person. “I’ll be damned,” he said, “the placement and tensions were perfect. It looked great and put his rope bottom right into rope space. He tied it cleanly and with a lot of confidence.”
McMilllan said his skill was nothing special. “I just followed the directions and used common sense,” he said. “It’s not really that hard and it doesn’t seem all that dangerous.”
Even after posting pictures and reading Master Nawashi’s testimony, many on social media remained skeptical.
“It is just not possible. You have to learn how to tie in person. One on one is the only way. Anything else is dangerous and irresponsible,” RopeMan21 wrote.
Others agreed. “I have been to Japan and studied there and I can promise you all the things I learned can’t be found in a book,” wrote another rope top, “I mean the tying part can. And the patterns. And the steps to do the ties. But it is so much more than that. It’s all about going to Japan. You can’t get that from a book.”
“I just hate to see people get hurt,” Master Takate Kote III, said. “I mean if anyone is going to hurt rope bottoms it should be people like me.”
McMillan didn’t seem to think it was a big deal either way. “I’d like to take some classes once they start back up again,” he said, “but for now I just like tying my partner up and having lots of sex.”
Donna Lynt, McMillan’s 28 year old rope bottom agreed, “It really spices things up in the bedroom. We don’t know all the Japanese names for things, but I am pretty sure they fuck the same way in Japan, so in that sense, we really are doing the same thing.”
