with Kirigami and Tenshiko
The hashira – the iconic wooden post – is one of the most recognizable props in Japanese bondage imagery. In suspension, it is often associated with impressive and dramatic shapes, as seen in old Japanese pictures and movies. But Hashira is not only about spectacle: on the floor, it offers an intimate and versatile space for exploring rope in a different register.
Where hashira suspensions are technically challenging, and can be deeply erotic through their intensity, floorwork hashira opens the door to subtler possibilities: playful contact, sensual shaping, and the opportunity to refine soft skills such as reading emotions, attuning to body language, and developing an aesthetic vision together with the model.
This class is designed for beginners and intermediate students who want to enrich their practice with more interactive and sensual uses of the hashira, without the technical difficulty of full suspension.
What We Will Do
Over four hours, we will explore:
Sensual shaping around the post: using simple ties to frame the body and create evocative imagery.
Interaction and presence: learning to recognize the model’s emotions and respond.
Soft skill development: improving aesthetic sensibility, attention to rhythm, and ability to read subtle changes in breathing, posture, and mood.
Playful dynamics: from gently restraining and guiding to building light predicaments that enhance awareness and intimacy.
Safe and effective floorwork line management: avoiding clutter and ensuring balance..
Approach
Exercises will alternate between technical practice (building neat, functional ties) and expressive practice (using sensual, elegantly crude, or playful ties).
The emphasis will be on communication, awareness, and creativity rather than on mechanical execution alone.
Skills You Will Train
Developing aesthetic vision in rope photography and live tying.
Recognizing and responding to emotional cues from the model.
Building atmosphere: using pace, rope, and touch as part of the rope.
Refining rope handling in floorwork contexts.
Expanding the creative vocabulary of hashira play beyond suspension.
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For Tops
Solid TK (any style)
Safe and efficient upline management
Some experience with easy suspensions
For Bottoms
Feeling comfortable in a gote
Understanding the difference between comfortable and sustainable, and willingness to explore both
Awareness of nerve and circulation risks, with ability to self-monitor and self-control
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Kirigami and Tenshiko are a couple both in ropes and in life. Since 2012 they have been teaching and performing across Europe, and in 2016 they founded School of Rope Milano, where they offer weekly classes to local students and international visitors. Their work is rooted in the most traditional Japanese bondage, while keeping an eclectic approach that integrates private sessioning and photography.
Images: Flyer photo by Signor_g._