Purple rope Bingo has left us. It was sadly inevitable, and I’m glad his suffering is over, happy I got to hang with him a final time this year, proud to have fed him students, and mournful for his family and friends.
I first met Bingo early into a decade of work in Japan, at the newly opened 初心-UBU- either via Yoi Yoshida, possibly Ero Ouji. It took a while to find my tribe.
Coming into the scene in his late 40s after practising privately for many years, Bingo was a deep character. A thinker. Often quiet and stoic. Sometimes a dry wit with a grin. I’ll fondly remember him sitting on that high chair behind the counter at Bar UBU, smoking. Not saying much. So many Friday nights together with Ero Ouji, playing. Two Jacky-colas and a Shōchū.
I think it was Yoi who persuaded him to teach, and it certainly changed my approach. Bingo was experimental, spontaneous, creative. Raising the bar. Evolving Kinbaku. Emphasis began on Shosa conduct, and Bingo’s Nawa shigusa no michi behaviour adapted from Edo. Onazi kusa. We are all of the same plant.
He didn’t appreciate dogma, charlatans, cheapskates or fools. Everything he did was functional, appearing daring, inspired by natural, cultural SM. A 2-girl bullwhip, Kinbaku and double-ended dildo show on the revolving stage at DX Kabukichō a highlight. Tying 2 models into the rigging of a faux pirate ship in the cold wind of Tokyo Bay maybe not. We shared the stage on many occasions, and saw his humour when in the middle of doing something dastardly, he’d catch my eye and do that grin. Almost cheeky.
Asked the question if he considered himself Nawashi or Kin/Bakushi he’d answer, ‘I’m just Bingo.’ There were no airs or graces. The man was an enigma. His Kotobazeme evolved into something very powerful, inducing partners into euphoria. He was humble, honourable, polite with a strong sense of dignity and integrity. Bingo also loved Tonkatsu ebi.
Bingo helped my understanding of jute Asanawa, how to process it, and what is ultimately required. He supported my quest since the beginning, when we lamented the quality drop in available product, and gifted me highly valuable knowledge.
We’ll look back on Bingo as an innovator, a teacher, and one of the true greats of his generation.
安らかに眠れ
Sin
