Born in 1930 in Osaka, Japan, Rumi Kasuga grew up in the vibrant and often shadowy post-war era. Her early exposure to the red-light districts of the 1940s and a formative relationship with an older man awakened her dominant desires.
Images of women dominating men with high heels ignited some kind of animal instinct flared up within my body
Rumi Kasuga
Career and Role in the SM Scene
Kasuga made her debut in the legendary SM magazine Kitan Club in July 1954, quickly becoming one of its most iconic figures. Known primarily as a commanding sadist (or “Sadistine,” the feminine term used in the scene at the time), she specialized in overpowering masochistic men in photo series and illustrations.
She was a skilled kinbakushi (bondage artist); her bondage designs were often credited as “Design by Rumi Kasuga.” She frequently collaborated with fellow performer Masako Ibuki and photographer Shozo Onuma (also known as Konuma Shozo).
Private Life and Legacy
In her personal life, Kasuga lived out her dominant persona as a professional mistress. She owned the bar “Bridge” in Osaka’s Shinsekai district, a pioneering venue in Japan’s gay SM scene.She contributed articles to Kitan Club, including personal pieces like The Men Under My Bottom (August 1973) and scene reports in later issues.
Rumi Kasuga remains a pioneering female figure in the early post-war Japanese SM and kinbaku underground, celebrated for her unapologetic dominance and technical skill in an era when such roles were rare for women.
Sources & more photos
Nawapedia
Mrbunjousyashin – many photosets
Vintage Fetish Photos
