Nawa Kenshin, aka Sean, embarked on his journey with shibari in 2010, following a period of overseas work as a photographer and videographer specializing in SM and gravure productions. During this time, he was fortunate to receive guidance from the esteemed Chris Thomson, known as Calendar King. However, due to limited access to comprehensive shibari instructions, he temporarily set the practice aside.
In 2019, a significant turning point occurred for him, leading to a renewed passion for shibari. Since then, he has provided over 100 women with captivating and emotionally engaging rope experiences, culminating in the present year, 2023.
His artistic expression has been deeply influenced by the distinctive styles of Yukimura, Yagami, and Osada’s ryu. He has since taken multiple lessons from Osada Steve, Yagami Miren, Akechi Kanna and Kasumi Hourai.
In his pursuits, Sean prioritizes a connection that transcends the physical aspect of the practice. He seeks to create sessions that are not only aesthetically beautiful but also profoundly emotional and meaningful for all involved. Sean is constantly evolving and improving on his own style, Nawakokoro – Intentional Tying with Heart.
Why the name Nawa Kenshin?
For the love of ropes, Nawa literally means rope in Japanese. And as an artist, I would always love to continue improving myself, learning always and keeping a keen eye on the aesthetics of the rope (as well as the connective sensuality of it).
Hence, I chose the name Kenshin – Insightful heart with the emphasis on deep appreciation of beauty and wisdom. Plus I pretty love the character Himura Kenshin in Rouroni Kenshin. So Kenshin sticks pretty well here. 🙂
Ditching the old name, Struggling Guy…
Most beginning artistes are struggling, or most of us are struggling to make a name for ourselves. Whether you are a newbie or an old hand at your trade/profession/hobby/etc.
Even when we hit ‘it’, getting a name for ourselves, we still do struggle. It can range from trying outdo our past works, keeping passion as hot as ever (even you had been doing it for the past decade), finding new inspiration, etc.
The name takes a multitude of meanings for me. I love to see my models / bottoms struggling. Or, at times, I do struggle to come out with some new ties, new sequences to get the mood going. Gotta keep it fresh or refreshing for everyone involved right? At the same time, there are other aspects in my life that I feel I need to tackle as well, but overwhelming.
However, the name Struggling Guy begin to have a negative energy / vibe to it. It keeps my mind in a struggling mode and the word isn’t something nice per se. Hence as of 1 June 2024, I decide to do a major rebranding of it.
Nawa Kenshin 