FREE Osada Steve interview

Discussing kinbaku in Japan and his path in becoming a professional

When Osada Steve was here to run some classes in August, he agreed to spend some time answering a few questions about his career and kinbaku in Japan. Here's the result.

Steve has been my main influence and teacher. We met over ten years ago when I attended his Tokyo studio for lessons and we have been in touch ever since. He was the catalyst for the connection with Japan as he offered a gateway to the rather impenetrable Japanese scene. German is his native language but he speaks excellent English and, as you would expect after several decades, speaks some Japanese.This allowed Europeans to access his tuition. It also opened up the Japanese scene to us since without a knowledge of the language, you won't get far. He was also responsible for introducing me to Kinoko Hajime who I brought to the UK for our London festival, his first performance in the west.

He has been taught by the key names in the history of kinbaku: Eikichi Osada, who pioneered public performance, Akechi Denki who systemised the art and Yukimura Haruki, the master of newaza. With a pedigree like that, you can be sure he knows what he's talking about. I'm sure our discussions will show just how deep this rabbit hole goes.


Your Instructor


Osada Steve
Osada Steve


Shibari is 90% emotional.

The other half is technical.

Coming to Japan : 1980 –

After living one year each in India, Thailand, and Hong Kong, and extensively traveling through Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Korea, Taiwan, China, and Vietnam, settled down in Japan for intensive study of martial arts (mainly Shotokan karate and Aikido).

Entering Japanese Subculture : 1990 –

After paying his dues as fashion photographer Osada Steve picked up fetish photography in the 1990s, documenting much of Tokyo’s SM scene.

Apprenticeship : 1998 – 2001

He first met his mentor Osada Eikichi in 1998 during a photoshoot, and soon found himself helping out during stage performances, studying his mentor's style of kinbaku until his retirement in 2001, after which he continued his teacher’s shows under the stage name Osada Steve.

Career Highlights
1999


Weekly: On stage with Osada Eikichi at Roppongi Mistress Bar

2000

April: Opened Studio SIX to house Osada Seminar

2001

Sep: Osada Steve Shibari art published in Wired mag

Nov: Special Osada Eikichi Memorial performance at Roppongi Jail

2002

June: Osada Steve Shibari art published in Vogue

July: Special Osada Eikichi Memorial performance at Omiya Gekijo

Aug to date: Changed the concept of Studio SIX (approx. 100 performances per year) to also include dojo facilities for intensive Kinbaku studies

Sep: Special Osada Eikichi Memorial performance at Roppongi Mistress Bar

Oct: Special Halloween performance organized by Ginza Black Heart

Nov: Joint performance with Kazami Ranki at Loft Plus One

2003

March to Nov 2005: Weekly guest performer at Jail Tokyo

June: East Meets West vol. 1, joint performances with Drachenmann from Germany at Jail Tokyo and Loft Plus One

Aug: Shows at Omiya Gekijo

Sep: Started career as nawashi for Japanese video production companies

Nov: Special performance at Sadistic Circus

Dec: Established Osada Studios and started producing for Japanese and overseas video companies

2004

Jan: Performances and workshops in Berlin, Germany

Feb: Performances and workshops in Hong Kong

March: Joint performance with Nawashi Monko at Loft Plus One

April: 80 shows in 20 days at Kujo OS, Osaka

May: East Meets West vol. 2, joint performances with Drachenmann from Germany at Jail Tokyo

June: Shows at Wakamatsu Gekijo, Funabashi

July/Aug: 8-week European Kinbaku Tour. Performances and workshops in Berlin, Hamburg, Paris.

Starred in several SM movies and shot a major Shibari documentary.

September: Shibari shoot for Playboy TV

November: Started monthly gigs at Ranbukan, Randa Mai’s place in Nogizaka

Dec: 80 shows in 20 days at Kujo OS, Osaka

2005

Jan: Joint performance with Amrita at Loft Plus One

Feb: Shows at Wakamatsu Gekijo, Funabashi

March: Shows at Kabukicho DX

April: Performance at Nightmare

May: Performance at Bonobo Bar

June: Kinbaku shoot for Sundance Film Festival

July : 45 performances in Okinawa and Kyushu

Aug: 40 performances at Kujo OS, Osaka

Sep: Performances at Kabukicho DX

Oct: 40 performances in Sapporo

Nov: Performance at Nanohana, Kabukicho

Dec: Performance at The Gate, Yokohama

2006

Jan: Special performance at TKS The Gate, Tokyo Kink Society

Feb: Started monthly gigs at Sasquatch

March: Video shoots for hogtied.com and waterbondage.com

April: Filming for KMC in Fukuoka

May: 40 performances at Kujo OS, Osaka

July: xplore06 in Berlin

Aug: Second European Kinbaku Tour with workshops, demos, performances, and video shoots

Sep: Shows at Kabukicho DX

Oct: 56-Camera 3D/CG film project plus gala show

Nov: 40 performances at Kujo OS, Osaka

Dec: Attackers video with Naka Akira, Randa Mai, Chiba Eizoh, Mira Kurumi, Kato Taka and others.

2007

Jan: Started training under Yukimura Haruki to study newaza and shuchinawa techniques

Feb: Japan producer for Hito Steyerl’s “Lovely Andrea” film for Documenta Kassel

March: First Annual Shibari Clinic for intensive students from North America

April: Performed at SM Taikai at Kabukicho DX

May: Four weeks of workshops, special gala performances, and video shoots in Berlin

June: Established Osada-ryu and inaugurated Osada-ryu Honbu Dojo in Tokyo

July: 40 shows at Kujo OS, Osaka. Special performance at Sadistic Circus, Tokyo

Aug: Established worldwide dealer network for original Osada Shibari & Kinbaku Rope

Sep: Developed a special 10-month Shibari training program for staff at SM bar Mode et Baroque

Oct: Special performance at Kitty Fire (aka Department H) in Tokyo

Nov: Produced a 4-DVD SM series for Kansai Media

Dec: Special performance at Sleeping Beauty, Tokyo

2008

Jan: First Osada-ryu certificates given to licensed instructors

Feb: Special Valentine performance at Tokyo Decadance

March: Performed at SM Taikai at Kabukicho DX

April: 40 shows at Kujo OS, Osaka

May: Workshops, instructor training, and official opening of Osada-ryu Dojo Berlin

June: Special SM Taikai performances at Hamageki, Yokohama

July: Received special recognition and Bakushi name “Harumine” from Yukimura Haruki

Aug: Shooting Shibari documentary for German TV

Sep: Performed at SM Taikai at Kabukicho DX

Oct: Record-breaking sales position the original Osada Rope as the gold standard used by professionals worldwide

Nov: 20 shows at Kokura AQ, Kyushu

Dec: 40 shows at Kujo OS, Osaka

2009

Jan: Three-week Shibari Intensive with Maestro Kurt of Club Rosas, Barcelona

Feb: Special Valentine performance at Tokyo Decadance

March: Obtained the domain kinbaku.com at auction

April: Shows at Kujo OS, Osaka

May: Started weekly Studio SIX Light performances to complement regular Kinbaku Live nights

June: Full month of photo shoots (Photo Club), “satsuekai”

July: Embarking on major hojojutsu, hobakujutsu, torinawajutsu mission

Aug: Departing for yearly European Workshop Tour, first stop Copenhagen

Sep: Workshops at Osada Kinbaku Dojo Berlin, major performance at Avalon, workshops in London (Esinem World Headquarters)

Oct: First release of Aiko photo book

Nov: Three-week Shibari Intensive

Dec: Two-week Shibari Intensive

2010

Jan: SM World At Night, special performance at Furinkaikan with Shima Shiko

Feb: Black Decadance, performance and “shibari hodai” tying up guests

March: Started rope work for Sugiura Norio Kinbaku photo shoots

April: Started producing and directing for major US spanking website

May: 10th Anniversary of Studio SIX, onsen photo tour with special customers

June: Black Decadance, performance and “shibari hodai” tying up guests

July: Total make-over and relaunch of JapanBondage.tv

Aug: Renewal Open of Studio SIX

Sep: Workshops in Copenhagen, Denmark

Oct: Workshops at Osada-ryu Dojo Berlin, Germany

Nov: Workshops at Club Rosas 5, Barcelona

Dec: Three-week Shibari Intensive

2011


Jan: Represented Germany at Toubaku, International Kinbaku Festival

Feb: Started webcam feeds of Kinbaku Live Nights for US website

March: Interviewed by European TV for kinbaku documentary

April: Presented at Sydney Xplore plus special shibari workshops in Sydney

May: Workshop series in Melbourne, Australia

June: Three-week Shibari Intensive

July: Two two-week Shibari Intensives

Aug: Workshops in Copenhagen, Denmark

Sep: Workshops in Hamburg and at Vienna Kinbaku Dojo

Oct: Workshops and opera performance at Club Rosas 5, Barcelona

Nov: Two two-week Shibari Intensives

Dec: Charity Show (TKS) generating ¥258,000 for Earthquake Relief Fund

2012


First Osada-ryu world meet at Osada-ryu Honbu Dojo, for intensive instructor training

2013


Second Osada-ryu world meet at Osada-ryu Honbu Dojo, for intensive instructor training

2014


Third Osada-ryu world meet at Osada-ryu Honbu Dojo, for intensive instructor training

2015


15th Anniversary of Studio SIX

500th Kinbaku Live @ Studio SIX event

500th DVD (Bakushiden/縛師伝) introduced to the market

2016


The Great Down Under Workshop Tour: Melbourne & Sydney

2017


Around the World in 80 days. Workshop tour of North America and Europe, including Vancouver, Orlando, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Vienna, Königswinter, Berlin.

“Letters From Tokyo” book published

2018


Europe Workshop Tour in 60 days: London, Zurich, Königswinter, Berlin.

2019


Worldwide Workshop Tour in 90 days: Los Angeles, Las Vegas, London, Hamburg, Zurich, Königswinter, Mallorca, Berlin.

2020


Going virtual with online workshops and private Zoom coaching.

2021


Launched www.kinbaku-academy.com tutorial website.


The above chronicle a few highlights only. In real life, hardly a day goes by without either being on stage, in front of the camera, directing videos, running rope seminars, or giving private tuition in the Japanese art of Shibari.

On film:


Producing and directing for Kansai Mania Club, Genuine, JapDevils, and others. Starring in Master Costello, Kink.com, Happy Fish, Attackers, SM Sniper, Art Video, and other labels.

In print:


Featured in, written, or photographed for Wired, GQ, Vogue, Marie Claire, Issue One, Skin Two, Schlagzeilen, Bondage Magazine, Secret, Tokyo Journal, FetishJapan, SM Sniper, Mania Club, Tsukasa Shobo, Burst, and other magazines.

Online:


Kinbaku-Academy.com

Asanawa.com

Bakushi.com

Fetishjapan.com

Hojojutsu.com

Kinbaku-shop.com

Kinbaku.com

Kinbakushi.com

Nawado.com

Nawajutsu.com

Nawashi.com

Osada-ryu.com

Osadasteve.com

Semenawa.com

Shibari-dojo.com

Tokyobound.com

Torinawa.com


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