Chindogu

August 19, 2002 9:52 AM

Chindogu is the ancient Japanese art of the Unuseless Invention -- that is, a creation which seems like a great idea, but which, in reality, causes more inconvenience than it cures. Behold the almost handy Backstratcher's T-Shirt, the Eyedrop Funnel Glasses, the Butter Stick and the Kitty Dust Slippers. Because everyone enjoys a good Unuseless Invention, I have given this book as a gift more than any other.
posted by Shadowkeeper (5 comments total)

My Chindogu: a tiny toilet roll dispenser (about 4 cm. across) which would be mounted next to your sink and filled with tiny papers rolls of a corresponding size. After shaving, a gentleman can tear off tiny 2 x 2 cm squares of tissue to apply to his various nicks and cuts.

Of course this isn't a real Chindogu. After all, the Ten Tenets of Chindogu clearly state that "a Chindogu must exist" -- that is to say, if I want to make this into a real Chindogu (and perhaps parlay it into admission in the International Chindogu Society), I would have to actually create my Shaving Toilet Paper Dispenser. Maybe someday.
posted by Shadowkeeper at 9:54 AM on August 19, 2002

Wouldn't many dot.coms fit the definition?
posted by tittergrrl at 10:10 AM on August 19, 2002

My "Butter Stick" link failed, but you can find an image of it -- along with a whole bevy of other Chindogu -- right here.
posted by Shadowkeeper at 10:32 AM on August 19, 2002

Actually, Chindogu_5 (the suction cup hat with sign) is not too far removed from the reality of the Tokyo subway. I used to see quite a few sarariiman passed out drunk on the train with a little sign around their neck that indicated which stop to kick them out. What would make the hat truly useful is to hang a barf bag off of it, so the drunks could heave into that instead of all over the floor of the subway car.
posted by MrBaliHai at 11:23 AM on August 19, 2002

The butter stick is not chindogu!
posted by five fresh fish at 3:46 PM on August 19, 2002