Yagami Ren (鵺神 蓮) is a renowned Japanese rope artist, celebrated for pioneering the sekibaku style and founding the Yagami Ryu school of shibari.
He’s part of a new generation of rope masters who revitalized Japan’s shibari scene at the tail end of the Heisei era, breathing new life into the art form and bringing it out of the underground.
His style focuses on a deeply intimate, erotic experience. Yet, Yagami is also known for delivering visually stunning, world-class performances and has enjoyed a vibrant, long-standing career as a professional rope artist in Japan’s adult industry.
Technically, his approach is heavily influenced by martial arts, emphasizing efficient and safe body handling, with the rope serving as a supportive tool in his craft.
Roots in Traditional Arts
Traditional disciplines have profoundly shaped Yagami’s unique shibari style:
- Practitioner of shodō (書道, Japanese calligraphy)
- Extensive training in aikidō (合気道)
His Journey
As a teenager, Yagami found himself drawn to bondage, which featured prominently in his youthful fantasies.
In the early 2000s, he experienced real shibari for the first time while working at the Succubus happening bar in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, run by Mistress Nawashi Kanna.
He spent the next decade honing his skills, and in January 2011, made his professional debut at the legendary Theater POO.
That same year, he became a deshi (弟子, apprentice) under Nawashi Kanna (神凪). Their mentorship continued until 2013, when they parted ways on less-than-friendly terms.
A series of health challenges, along with this falling-out, led Yagami to reevaluate his priorities and his approach to shibari.
He dove into live performances and work within the adult industry, and by 2014, he began developing his signature style, sekibaku. This vision flourished after his 2015 European tour, during which he founded dojos and certified instructors in several countries.
In the words of Osada Steve:
“Yagami Ren is the future of shibari.”
His take on Japanese bondage blends time-honored Japanese traditions with cutting-edge techniques, all laced with a sharp sense of humor.