In 1998, grandmaster Osada Eikichi was giving weekly guest performances at the Bondage Bar in Shinjuku. In 1999, Osada sensei moved his shows to the Mistress Bar in Roppongi. This is when I became sensei’s gofer and “official” pulley operator. In those days I was mainly doing photography and covering Tokyo’s underground and BDSM/kinbaku scene. In early 2000, I decided to convert my photo studio into an art/performance space.
April 1, 2000 then saw the grand opening of Studio SIX with sensei starting his weekly performances at my own place. Read what the publisher of Schlagzeilen magazine, Matthias Grimme, has to say about the opening night.
After Osada Eikichi passed away, I continued his weekly shows, with 615 Kinbaku Live nights to date; making this the longest running rope performance series in Japan and most probably the world.
Further reading: The 10th anniversary of Studio SIX.
Weekly Kinbaku Live shows aside, Studio SIX today is home to Osada-ryu HQ disseminating leading edge Japanese rope tying arts by teaching, training and coaching shibari students from all walks of life and all over the world.
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Congratulations Sensei on these achievements!