Wakizarashi 脇晒し

Japanese for exposed armpits; wakizarashi names arm positions with the hands behind the head and the elbows raised, as in the bunny ears or usagi tie.

Wakizarashi (脇晒し) translates as exposed armpit (Rope365). Rope365 uses it for bunny ears, also called a pillow tie, in which the wrists rest behind the head and the elbows point upward. SMpedia redirects wakizarashi to its entry 後頭後手縛り, the hands-behind-the-head tie, which lists it beside names such as banzai shibari and cites lessons on the position by Randa Mai, among others. Andrea Ropes describes wakizarashi as complete surrender with the armpits exposed, says this exposure is felt as deeply embarrassing in Japanese culture, and treats teppō and usagi shibari as its two forms.

Sources

  1. Vocabulary — Rope365
  2. 脇晒し — SMpedia (Wayback Machine snapshot, 2025-04-04)
  3. 後頭後手縛り — SMpedia (Wayback Machine snapshot, 2025-04-03)
  4. Glossary — Andrea Ropes