By kaeshi nawa we mean the technique through which we reverse the direction of the cord, locking it with itself and creating a “counter-tension.”
In shibari, there are, broadly speaking, two ways to build forms and figures.
One is the approach associated with the rigger Akechi Denki and the styles derived from his (Osada, Kanna, Yagami, Kinoko, …), which manage tension by establishing “points of support” between the rope and the body.
The other is linked to the “Naka style” (really Nureki Chimuo deserves the credit), which manages tension with the ropes, letting them support each other.
These differences show the guild origins of the two currents: one (Naka’s) influenced by the know-how of commercial crafts (agricultural-textile), and the other by construction techniques and the timid exploration Akechi did of the martial arts.
In martial arts, and particularly in aikido, kaeshi waza (返技) are counterattack techniques, where you reverse the opponent’s attack to use their energy against them, shifting from a defensive to an offensive posture.
Technical analysis
When studying and understanding kaeshi nawa as a technique, we should not limit ourselves to the concept of “counter-tension,” which can be limiting, but grasp everything it entails.
Cord vector or entry
Let us understand a vector as the portion of rope we are handling in a single direction, at a given angle and tension.
In the video, during the construction of the gote, the rope that descends after looping around the body holds muscle activation and helps stabilize the scapula, so it has a clear downward direction crossing the body (from shoulder to the opposite hip).
Inflection point
One of the mantras we always repeat is: “when one rope crosses another, it goes underneath and reverses direction.”
That can be read as a basic application of kaeshi nawa, since it’s a way to manage tension with the rope itself.
Remember that this inflection or intersection between two ropes can occur along the line itself. For example, we wrap around the body and, upon returning and meeting the same line again, we apply counter-tension.
An example is the upper line of the gote in the video: the same rope line, without interruption or blockage, goes around the body and comes back to meet itself, a point we exploit to establish counter-tension.
It can also happen with another line or different structure.
For example, in the video, once the first line is closed, the kaeshi nawa technique is used to add support to the forearms by acting vertically (one force pulls the forearms up; another, the gote line, stabilizes).
Exit vector
Once the direction changes, the rope exits at an angle that will generally be opposite to the entry angle, though not always.
Here we must assess that the direction change makes sense within the structure we are building. Look at how tensions are set in the body and how the ropes manage and distribute them.
In the video, both when the first line is blocked and when the forearm tension is adjusted, we work with opposing directions, as both cases require it.
But if you look closely at the futomomo video, the use of counter-tensions isn’t necessarily in opposite directions, since the application of tension on the body and rope is managed differently.
Up and down
What we must keep in mind about this technique is that when we manage tension, the sides (axes) do not isolate one part of the body from the other.
Thus, returning to the video and the tension management in the first line, when we pull to adjust it we are acting on both the body and the rope line as a whole.
The central axis does not isolate one side from the other, so we must ensure that, when applying kaeshi nawa, we are not compressing or twisting the other half of the binding.
A good way to do this is to help the rope’s movement, either by restraining it (for example, in the first line) or by facilitating its movement (in the forearm adjustment).
Let’s apply the rule “when one goes up, the other goes down” to create fluid tension management, as if using a pulley.
A touch of mysticism
For those who like to wrap their practice in broader, less material concepts, here are a few notes.
The term kaeshi is also used in some Shinto rituals to refer to cords that wrap sacred enclosures.
As for the kanji themselves, they carry two additional meanings.
The first is instant, in the sense we use this concept as a balance-shatter.
The other, very important, is movement or step.
In martial arts, this concept is often linked to choosing the exact instant when we are being attacked to step aside, dodging the attacker.
This is typically achieved through a quick foot movement that lets us move laterally and use the attacker’s energy—now unfocused—against them.
That is the inspiration Yagami Ren borrows for this exercise, and we should interpret it on two levels.
On the one hand, develop the ability of the person tying to create counter-tension and move fluidly around the tied person’s body.
On the other hand, manage the change and “redirect” the desire of the tied person.