Traditionally in Japan, Shibari and Kinbaku have been directly passed on from Master to Deshi, with the latter learning by observing and “osmosis”. This traditional system has advantages, in that alongside the technical aspects the student will also acquire a solid foundation of the psychological and philosophical aspects of tying from the particular Master. For Westerners, however, this route is not generally available – there is only a limited number of Japanese Masters, and you’d have to live in Japan and speak Japanese. 

Osada-ryu is an integrated, all-encompassing teaching system that has been developed to bring the high-level training associated with the traditional Japanese method to rope students in the West. Osada-ryu goes beyond the “painting by numbers” or “this rope goes here” style of teaching to include all the whys and hows. 

Osada-ryu is a complete Shibari and Kinbaku system, developed by Osada Steve based on his 20+ years of working as a professional rope artist in Japan, as well as training with some of the Grandmasters of Shibari including Osada Eikichi, Akechi Denki, and Yukimura Haruki. Because of this broad background, Osada-ryu is unique in that it provides solid techniques in more than one aspect of Shibari and Kinbaku, including suspension work and Semenawa, as well as the deeply emotional and erotic styles of Aibunawa.

The system is designed with Kyu (grades), like in traditional Japanese martial arts. There are requirements to pass each level, with criteria including technical competency, fluidity, efficiency, flow, communication, and aesthetics. Each level teaches techniques and concepts that are then built upon in subsequent levels. The techniques taught are not designed for “tie and giggle” tying, but rather are building towards the students reaching a level of competency equivalent to that of a professional Japanese rope artist.