From Greek Mythology to Buddhism
The ferryman Charon conveyed souls across the river Styx that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead.
In Japan the dead were given a coin (rokumonsen, 六文銭) to pay for their crossing over to the Netherworld from which there was no return.
Yukimura Haruki / 雪村春樹 sensei has embellished on this concept to emphasize that the very first wrap of rope shall make the partner aware that a journey is about to begin from which there is no return. That from this point on nothing will ever be the same.
A Masterclass In Floorwork
In this workshop, we cover the theoretical concepts of watashinawa (渡し縄) within the context of "handing over" prisoners to different jurisdictions. Watashinawa techniques were developed in the old hobakujutsu (捕縛術) days when the use of rope in battle was one of the 18 warrior skills (bugei juhappan, 武芸十八般) of the samurai.
We then discuss the concept of applying ki (気), which is often translated as life force, into our tying sessions.
We then learn the fairly complex and beautiful cat's cradle tie (ayatorinawa, 綾取り縄).
In a final highlight, we explore the finer points of neck leash play to deepen our understanding of body manipulation.
The Attack Point
Yukimura-ryu floorwork (雪村春樹流寝技) offers an infinite number of techniques. If consciously employed these will make the difference between a so-so tying session and an out-of-this-world experience.
One of the very early techniques is the initial wrap we call the point of no return.
It should be applied with good timing while authentically and honestly transfering the bakushi's (縛師) ki (気).
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Ayatorinawa
The beautiful ayatorinawa (cat's cradle tie, 綾取り縄), here shown in its untying stage, is fairly complex and offers an abundance of techniques from learning how to tie to learning how to communicate.
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Debriefing Time
For the avid learner this workshop imparts a treasure trove of theoretical knowledge about the Japanese tying arts.
It also provides insights into related cultural aspects and Japanese aesthetics.
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Curriculum
120+ minutes