Shibari Academy

"Gote" is a Japanese term that roughly translates to "bound hands" or "bound arms" in English. Within the context of Shibari, the Gote Shibari refers to a type of tie in which the person being tied has their hands and arms bound in a box-like position. Notice that the name "Gote" does not specify if the arms are tied in the front or back, so it is possible that you will stumble upon different variations of the Gote Shibari tie along your journey. 

Names of ties in Shibari attempt to be as descriptive as possible so they are easily searchable and understood. However, because there is no official entity that regulates the practice, a set of defined tie names and naming rules does not exist. In reality, it is up to the creator of the tie to name it as they wish based on the knowledge they have about Shibari traditions and history. This is why it's important to have a basic understanding of the most common Japanese words used to describe ties (such as "Gote"). They will give you a general idea of what the tie looks like and will help focus your search. We go over the most popular terms in our Shibari Dictionary.

What is interesting about this particular version of the Gote Shibari is that is places one set of ropes firmly above the breasts and another one below. This creates two parallel lines that work as a fantastic structure for creative decorations. You may recall a similar base structure in the Basic Chest Harness, Bikini Harness, and Shinju Chest Harness. We explore different decorative possibilities with the Gote Shibari - Mount Fuji Decoration and the Gote Shibari - Flower Weave. That said, the world is your oyster and you can explore as you see fit. 

Have fun tying!

Eve