101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions: The Art of Chindogu

Recently rediscovered and reread this ridiculous, unforgettable book, which I must have first come across in eighth grade. Seems so out-of-date! Although I suppose the mid-90s hair and clothes stood out even then. But over a decade later, I would still wear the vertically-attached glasses — they'd forever solve the dilemma reading in bed — and I remain convinced that a number of these inventions would be (are?) completely marketable. I also love the image of the poor cat in duster slippers.



My enthusiasm began to waver by the second half of the book. For all the talk in the intro of chindogu being "without prejudice," a disheartening number of these inventions rely on tired tropes of housewives cooking and cleaning at home, while show more their husbands run off to play golf instead of helping around the house, thus disrupting "matrimonial harmony." Gag. I was especially horrified by the "training high heels," which "smooth the transition to adult female footwear" (i.e., spine-deforming high heels). Great.

Oh well. Read it for the undignified cat pictures, I guess? And the absurd suggestions for surviving the subway, which I'm now reminded of every time I take the train during rush hour. show less

Frivolous, silly, & entertaining enough. Presents the Japanese art of chindogu in which items are designed to be almost, but not quite, useful in real life, resulting in an often-amusing look at different ways to solve some of the nagging little irritations & problems of daily life. Kind-of the equivalent of reading a cereal box when you have nothing else to do, but more interesting & funnier.

This also quite nicely complemented the Bob Edwards radio program today, when Edwards talked with science writer Marc Abrahams & discussed the Ig Nobel prizes (which Abrahams started).

Leave it to the Japanese to make an artform of uselessness. Amazing amount of frivolous fun in this wacky book.

Very funny, quick read. There were actually a couple of items I found related to things we use today.
Three out of five.