Chindōgu (珍道具) is the practice of inventing ingenious everyday gadgets that seem to be ideal solutions to particular problems, but which may cause more problems than they solve. The term is of Japanese origin.[1]
Literally translated, chindōgu means unusual (珍, chin) tool (道具, dōgu). The term was coined by Kenji Kawakami, a former editor and contributor to the Japanese home-shopping magazine Mail Order Life. In the magazine, Kawakami used his spare pages to showcase several bizarre prototypes for products. He named these gadgets "chindōgu"; Kawakami himself said that a more appropriate translation than "unusual tool" is "weird tool". This special category of inventions subsequently became familiar to the Japanese people.
Dan Papia then introduced it to the English-speaking world and popularized it as a monthly feature in his magazine, Tokyo Journal, encouraging readers to send in ideas. In 1995, Kawakami and Papia collaborated on the English language book 101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions: The Art of Chindōgu. Most classic chindogu products are collected in the book. Many examples display a sense of humor in the way they are used. Examples from the books include:
The all-day tissue dispenser, which is a toilet roll fixed on top of a hat, for hay fever sufferers.
The all-over plastic bathing suit, to enable people who suffer from aquaphobia to swim without coming into contact with water.
The baby mop, an outfit worn by babies, so that as they crawl around, the floor is cleaned.[2]
The selfie stick. While dismissed as a "useless invention" at the time, it later gained global popularity in the 21st century.[3]
The International Chindogu Societyedit
Kawakami founded the International Chindogu Society[4] to popularize Chindogu worldwide. Papia is the president of the society's U.S. chapter.[5] People who invent a Chindogu can write about their creation on the society's website.
Ten tenets of chindōguedit
The Chindōgu Society developed ten tenets of chindōgu explaining the principles (spirits) on which chindogu products should be based, inspiring designers and users to think about the deep core of design in general. The tenets require[6] that a chindōgu
cannot be for real use,
must exist,
must have a spirit of anarchy,
is a tool for everyday life,
is not a tradeable commodity,
must not have been created for purposes of humour alone: humour is merely the by-product
is not propaganda,
is not taboo,
cannot be patented, and
is without prejudice.
In the mediaedit
Chindōgu and Kawakami were featured regularly on a children's television show produced by the BBC called It'll Never Work?, a show in a similar vein as the BBC's Tomorrow's World; however, It'll Never Work? usually focused more on wacky, humorous gadgets than on serious scientific and technological advances.
Kenji Kawakami was visited by Dave Attell during the Sloshed In Translation episode of Insomniac in 2004. Kawakami featured items such as the baby duster, solar flashlight, and a device that would dry your hair with each step you took.
^99 More Unuseless Japanese Inventions: The Art of Chindogu. W. W. Norton & Company. January 1998. ISBN978-0-393-31743-5.
^Szpirglas, Jeff (2005). "Amazing Amusing Inventions". They Did WHAT?!: Your Guide to Weird and Wacky Things People Do. Dave Whamond. Hong Kong: Maple Tree Press. p. 60. ISBN1-897066-23-6.
^Alex Scola. . Distractify. Archived from the original on 2015-01-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"Pictures of the day: 3 June 2009". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
^Huget, Jennifer (2002-01-24). "Can You Chindogu?". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
^"• The Ten Tenets of Chindogu | Chindogu". Retrieved 2021-04-23.
101 unuseless Japanese inventions: the art of Chindogu
Further readingedit
Fearing Crime, Japanese Wear the Hiding Place, Martin Fackler. The New York Times, October 20, 2007.
The Big Bento Box of Unuseless Japanese Inventions, Kenji Kawakami, trans. Dan Papia, ed. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Norton: New York, 2005.
The Art of Chindogu in a World Gone Mad, David McNeill. August 3, 2005.
Analysing Chindogu: Applying Defamiliarisation to Security Design, Shamal Faily. May 5, 2012.
External linksedit
Chindōgu Society Official Homepage (in Japanese)
Interview with Kenji Kawakami
CHINDOGU: THE UNUSELESS INVENTIONS CHINDOGU: THE UNUSELESS INVENTIONS OF KENJI KAWAKAMI
chindogu-art-un-useless-inventions Chindogu: The Art of Un-useless Inventions
chindōgu, 珍道具, practice, inventing, ingenious, everyday, gadgets, that, seem, ideal, solutions, particular, problems, which, cause, more, problems, than, they, solve, term, japanese, origin, contents, background, international, chindogu, society, tenets, chind. Chindōgu 珍道具 is the practice of inventing ingenious everyday gadgets that seem to be ideal solutions to particular problems but which may cause more problems than they solve The term is of Japanese origin 1 Contents 1 Background 2 The International Chindogu Society 2 1 Ten tenets of chindōgu 3 In the media 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksBackground editLiterally translated chindōgu means unusual 珍 chin tool 道具 dōgu The term was coined by Kenji Kawakami a former editor and contributor to the Japanese home shopping magazine Mail Order Life In the magazine Kawakami used his spare pages to showcase several bizarre prototypes for products He named these gadgets chindōgu Kawakami himself said that a more appropriate translation than unusual tool is weird tool This special category of inventions subsequently became familiar to the Japanese people Dan Papia then introduced it to the English speaking world and popularized it as a monthly feature in his magazine Tokyo Journal encouraging readers to send in ideas In 1995 Kawakami and Papia collaborated on the English language book 101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions The Art of Chindōgu Most classic chindogu products are collected in the book Many examples display a sense of humor in the way they are used Examples from the books include A combined household duster and cocktail shaker for the housewife who wants to reward herself as she is going along The all day tissue dispenser which is a toilet roll fixed on top of a hat for hay fever sufferers The all over plastic bathing suit to enable people who suffer from aquaphobia to swim without coming into contact with water The baby mop an outfit worn by babies so that as they crawl around the floor is cleaned 2 The selfie stick While dismissed as a useless invention at the time it later gained global popularity in the 21st century 3 The International Chindogu Society editKawakami founded the International Chindogu Society 4 to popularize Chindogu worldwide Papia is the president of the society s U S chapter 5 People who invent a Chindogu can write about their creation on the society s website Ten tenets of chindōgu edit The Chindōgu Society developed ten tenets of chindōgu explaining the principles spirits on which chindogu products should be based inspiring designers and users to think about the deep core of design in general The tenets require 6 that a chindōgu cannot be for real use must exist must have a spirit of anarchy is a tool for everyday life is not a tradeable commodity must not have been created for purposes of humour alone humour is merely the by product is not propaganda is not taboo cannot be patented and is without prejudice In the media editChindōgu and Kawakami were featured regularly on a children s television show produced by the BBC called It ll Never Work a show in a similar vein as the BBC s Tomorrow s World however It ll Never Work usually focused more on wacky humorous gadgets than on serious scientific and technological advances Kenji Kawakami was visited by Dave Attell during the Sloshed In Translation episode of Insomniac in 2004 Kawakami featured items such as the baby duster solar flashlight and a device that would dry your hair with each step you took See also editJacques Carelman Simone Giertz Rube Goldberg Jugaad an Indian concept similar to kludge Kludge a clever but inelegant solution to a problem List of Japanese inventions W Heath RobinsonReferences edit 99 More Unuseless Japanese Inventions The Art of Chindogu W W Norton amp Company January 1998 ISBN 978 0 393 31743 5 Szpirglas Jeff 2005 Amazing Amusing Inventions They Did WHAT Your Guide to Weird and Wacky Things People Do Dave Whamond Hong Kong Maple Tree Press p 60 ISBN 1 897066 23 6 Alex Scola Turns Out Japan Invented The Selfie Stick 20 Years Ago Distractify Archived from the original on 2015 01 09 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Pictures of the day 3 June 2009 www telegraph co uk Retrieved 2021 04 23 Huget Jennifer 2002 01 24 Can You Chindogu The Washington Post Retrieved 2021 04 23 The Ten Tenets of Chindogu Chindogu Retrieved 2021 04 23 101 unuseless Japanese inventions the art of ChindoguFurther reading editFearing Crime Japanese Wear the Hiding Place Martin Fackler The New York Times October 20 2007 The Big Bento Box of Unuseless Japanese Inventions Kenji Kawakami trans Dan Papia ed Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall Norton New York 2005 The Art of Chindogu in a World Gone Mad David McNeill August 3 2005 Analysing Chindogu Applying Defamiliarisation to Security Design Shamal Faily May 5 2012 External links editChindōgu Society Official Homepage in Japanese Interview with Kenji Kawakami CHINDOGU THE UNUSELESS INVENTIONS CHINDOGU THE UNUSELESS INVENTIONS OF KENJI KAWAKAMI chindogu art un useless inventions Chindogu The Art of Un useless Inventions Unuseless chindogu 14 hilarious and strange japanese inventions Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chindōgu amp oldid 1221562580, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
