Alive Kinbaku Dojo
Rope dojo founded by Jirka (Alive Ropes) that teaches Japanese rope work with attention to technique, emotion, communication and safety.
Alive Kinbaku Dojo is a rope space in Holešovice, Prague 7, dedicated to Japanese rope, which it calls shibari or kinbaku. Its social events and workshops cover technique, emotion, aesthetics, communication and safety. The dojo was founded and is run by Jirka, who works as Alive Ropes. His profile says he first met rope as a photographer in 2010, started tying actively about nine years later, and brings long practice in internal martial arts and self-defense teaching. His early interest in acrobatic, photogenic positions later gave way to a focus on emotion, communication, consent and the choice of partner.
The core program is Bound Bodies Architect, which the dojo describes as the first comprehensive certified shibari course in the Czech Republic. It runs for four months, starting each February and September, in two variants of 39 teaching hours each: six full-day weekend workshops or sixteen Tuesday evenings. Both include additional weekend blocks on prevention and safety (19 hours). Each variant takes four to eight couples. The course is meant for complete beginners and for people who already tie or are tied but lack a solid safety and technical base; participants get free entry to the dojo’s jams, and graduates gain access to its advanced workshops. Students under 26 pay half for the teaching blocks. Themed evening and weekend workshops for all levels, private lessons and a monthly get-to-know-you evening for newcomers round out the program.
Rope jams are central to dojo life. In November 2026 the dojo listed a Monday rope jam usually led by Choze, a Friday rope and social jam usually led by Jirka, with Diana Vera among the occasional hosts, and occasional Saturday jams, at 200 CZK per jam (100 CZK for students). The dojo says its Friday jams reach about 40 people, which is why it added more dates. First-time visitors write to the dojo and receive an invitation with the address; beginners are welcome, but the dojo stresses that jams do not replace classes.
Guest teachers who have taught there include Ardent, Diana Vera, A’niya, Thure and Whispers of Satori. Since September 2025 the dojo has also run its own festival, the Alive Kinbaku Festival (also called Alive Onawa Matsuri), twice a year; the fourth edition is planned for 2–4 April 2027.