TokyoBound

This time it was not Osada Steve tying Kiku-chan, but rather Kiku-chan binding herself to her partner in a wedding ceremony in Yokohama on Saturday before Kinbaku Live Night at Studio SIX. Steve and Thomas attended the wedding, then rushed back to get things ready for the night’s proceedings.

Weddings in Japan can be expensive — for the guests! I’ve never been invited to one and, for that, I’m grateful. The reason: guests are expected to cough up the sum of 30,000 yen as a gift to the bride and groom. Guests then receive presents from the couple, true. But I don’t think those presents come close to the 30,000 yen price tag of attending the wedding.

Anyway, I like to pick out the gifts I give to myself, thank you very much. If I’ve got some spare yen lying around, I can put it to much better use than someone who barely knows me.

What happened to the days when the bride’s parents were expected to foot the whole damned bill? And all I had to do was to go to X-Mart and buy a crappy 25 dollar blender so I didn’t look like a complete prick whilst eating the food and drinking the booze?

Having said that (and establishing myself as a selfish jerk) I would just like to say to Kiku-chan: Congratulations! And don’t be absent from Studio SIX too long!

The last few posts haven’t had much visual stimuli so I’m going to make up for that by uploading a couple of photo galleries. The first one has some pics of Nami-chan from Thomas’ most recent Studio SIX dispatch. As Thomas reported, Pedro was in town from abroad and some of the photos show his handiwork.

The second gallery is of blondie Kicca-chan in an encore performance.

Speaking of Thomas, this past Saturday was his last time at Studio SIX for who knows how long. Steve presented him with a set of ropes as a going away present. That, at least, is a worthwhile gift.

Gallery — Studio SIX

Gallery — Kicca-chan

KabukiJoe

The following is an interview Osada Steve (長田スティーブ) conducted with the late, legendary master of shibari, Akechi Denki (明智伝鬼). Steve introduced me to Akechi sensei after his performance at Sadistic Circus in 2003.This interview was conducted two weeks before Akechi sensei passed away on July 17, 2005. KJ

Osada Steve: Japanese rope bondage is getting very popular in the United States and Europe and people want to know more about it. In the West there is something I call “bedroom bondage” — you tie the wrists and the ankles with very simple bonds and when your partner is restricted you begin with sex or SM play. But that’s different from Japanese rope bondage. How would you define shibari (縛り)? What is shibari to you?

Akechi Denki: In SM, shibari is Read more »

The most recent Osada Steve DVD release can be found here.

This would appear not to be the usual distributor. And like some of the electronic gizmos over here, good luck finding this one outside of Japan. I guess if it does become available overseas, Europe will be the most likely venue.

I do remember this shoot since I was operating the B roll camera. I believe this may have been the one where I and the main videographer chased Ageha through the streets of Ikebukuro. She was attired in her yukata and a lot of people were wondering what the hell we were doing. I also think this is the one where Steve and I finally “captured” Ageha in the dusty bowels of an office building after which she was dragged away to the dungeon to meet her fate.

All in all, a very long but fun day.

And speaking of video shoots, another one was recently finished. If I am able to get more information on this shoot, you’ll be the first to know. Or at least the second or third.

KabukiJoe

One thing about living in another country for the long haul — people you know eventually become people you knew. And so it happens. This time Thomas, the intrepid chronicler of the Osada Steve odyssey, will soon be returning to his native land. I, for one, will miss his reports but wish him well in his future endeavors and thank him for all the work he’s gone to, not only as a reporter but also as a photographer, videographer, set-designer, etc. for Steve. Bon voyage. KJ

It has been a while, due to circumstances beyond my control, since I filed a report on the performances at my favorite shibari place in Tokyo. Saturday’s model was the incomparable Nami-chan. I saw her some time ago at Studio SIX and by now I am more convinced than ever that her cute and flawless face might very well drive many a man insane with desire.

Keeping up with tradition, the first set was Read more »