Born and raised in Hong Kong, Naoko is a Shibari artist, performer, and educator based in London. She founded Kokoro Studio in Hong Kong (2015–2025) and later established Studio Yukari in London in 2022. In 2023, she was recognised as the third deshi of Naka Akira and is a member of Nawa Naka Kai. Naoko’s first encounter with Shibari was as a model.

She was quickly drawn to its eroticism and the powerful, intimate conversation that can unfold between two people through a single piece of rope. This experience led her to study in Tokyo, where she trained under various Japanese teachers. In 2015, she began formal studies of semenawa under Naka Akira.

Her style focuses on using rope as a tool for empathic conversation — to subtly reveal desires that cannot be expressed with words. Her tying is responsive, progressive, and present, shaped by the model’s raw reactions and emotional expression. The focus is always on the person, not the rope. While she is known for her work in semenawa, what truly defines her style is her empathy, affection, and love for her partner.

With experience across both Asian and Western rope communities, Naoko’s work reflects a wide cultural perspective. She has taught and performed in over 20 countries. She has also had the honour of assisting Naka Sensei at his Nawa-kai, Satsuei-kai, and Kenkyuu-kai in Tokyo, as well as at his international workshops in London, San Francisco, Antwerp, Helsinki, and Copenhagen.