Shibari/Kinbaku
Shibari as it is typically referred to in the west is known as Kinbaku (also Sokubaku) in Japanese and refers to the erotic art of tying people up. Originally in Japanese history the martial art Hojōjutsu, which trained people in tying others up or restraining them with rope, was practiced and developed over long periods of time. Since being tied up with a knot was considered extremely shameful, the art emphasized many techniques for restricting noble men and others of high rank without actually using any knots. With the advent of BDSM in modern Japan, however, came an eroticized offspring of Hojōjutsu, called Kinbaku, that focuses more on gentler holds and uses the historical shame of being tied up to further humiliate the bottom.
Today, Hojōjutsu is not commonly practiced and is considered by some to be a dying art, but Shibari thrives in the BDSM world and has profoundly influenced the bondage scene, integrating itself into many western schools, creating dozens of fusions of styles, and being practiced by itself in BDSM communities worldwide. Kinbaku has introduced to the West ties and positions that specifically apply pressure on the bottom's erogenous zones, asymmetric uses of patterns that give the bottom two uncomfortable positions to choose from, emphasizing simpler, more elegant ties over the elaborate, decorative knots of the West, as well as use of specific katas (forms) and aesthetic rules.
Read more about this topic: Sexuality In Japan, Fetish Scene