Honnawa 本縄
The "main rope" of Edo-period arrest practice, a longer rope tied in a formal manner on a prisoner once the case had been decided, and the name for that formal binding itself.
Honnawa means “main rope”. Japanese dictionaries define it as binding a prisoner by the proper, formal method, and also as that way of applying the rope. Heibonsha’s encyclopedia gives it as about five hiro long and used once the offense had been determined; Britannica Japan says after the sentence was fixed.
English Wikipedia describes one or two thicker ropes, usually hemp, tied by a team of normally four or more people, which allowed more elaborate patterns. It lists transport to prison, appearances at legal proceedings and public display before execution as uses. Japanese Wikipedia calls its use formal and ceremonial and says the tying style varied with the prisoner’s status, occupation, sex and the purpose.