Chindogu: Only in Japan will these things exist….

Chindogu inventions

Quirky Japanese inventions

I’m not much of a shopper but if I’m going to be suckered into buying something I don’t need, it’s going to happen in Japan.

Walking inside a shop anywhere in Japan is like walking into quicksand, it’s a struggle getting out of there. 

Things you never thought would ever be manufactured, never-mind make it onto the market, find a home in Japan. After all, this is a country where toilets play music to you!

Musical toilet Japan

The Japanese know how to make consumers flock to the shop shelves like crazed magpies. It’s dangerous. Some shops even place miniature screens that showcase adverts along the aisles. The voice whispering ‘buy me, buy me, buy me’ isn’t just the demons in our head any longer!

Japan is a dangerous place for shopaholics. Without supervision, shopaholics could quickly shop themselves into poverty. Any visitor to Japan needs to show a show self-restrain. 

Everything, absolutely everything, looks so appealing – even if it’s absolutely pointless. No where else in the world will you find quirky inventions you never knew existed, which brings me to the topic of this blog: Chindogu.

Consumerism Japan

The quirky world of Chindogu

The phenomena of Chindogu is a Japanese term that translates to “unusual tool” or “strange tool.” It refers to a form of inventiveness or a kind of “useless” or “unusual” gadget.

Chindogu items are intentionally designed to be quirky, whimsical, and often impractical for everyday use. The concept of Chindogu was popularized by Japanese inventor Kenji Kawakami in the 1990s.

He created these products as an antithesis to mass-consumerism, commodity products that were being manufactured during the booming times in Japan. As a result of Kawakami’s rebellion against the status quo, Chindogu has won a place in people’s hearts.

So even though many of these inventions create more problems than solve, we love and accept them for all their flaws!

Like all important ideas, Kawakami also outlined the main principles of Chindogu to his followers:

The 10 Principles of Chindogu

  1. They cannot be of any practical use
  2. They must exist as a physical thing
  3. There must be the spirit of anarchy
  4. They should be tools for everyday use
  5. They are not for sale
  6. Humour must be the sole reason for creating them
  7. They should not be used as propaganda
  8. They are never taboo
  9. They cannot be patented
  10. They are without prejudice

So, there you have it – Chindogu inventions are not for sale.

To be honest, I’m quite happy about this, because I definitely would’ve have bought some of these things for a laugh, which would go against the very philosophy of Chindogu! (Although, I bet you can find someone creating them on Etsy…)

So without further ado, here are a few of my favourites inventions.

Baby duster

Chindogu, baby mop

This right here is the only reason why I want to have a baby.

Now whoever said babies make a mess are totally wrong!

Chopstick Fan

Chindogu, noodle fan

Forget waiting for your ramen to cool down, the answer to your problem has been solved. 

Easy Eye Drops

Chindogu eyedrop funnel

I mean, they do look kind of useful, but I’m not convinced about the hygiene. I’d stay clear if I were you. 

Lending a Hand in the Kitchen

Chindogu hand

This artificial hand is to a knife what an oven mitt is to heat. 

There’s nothing creepy looking about this at all…

Train Nap Cap

Chindogu train nap cap

No longer do you have to worry about falling asleep onto the person sitting next to you and dribbling out a slow lubrication of embarrassment.

The only criticism I have about this design is it could do with looking a little daintier to say the least. Otherwise I’d totally buy one if it were for sale.

Keep Your Tootsies Dry

Chindogu umbrella shoes

I see the merits of this for suede shoes, but I don’t think we’re going to see a decline in the sale of wellies any time soon. Love, love, love, the look though!

Earplug Earrings

Chindogu ear plug earrings

You might laugh at someone wearing these, but they’ll be the last ones laughing when you’ve got a screaming baby seated in front of you on the plane.

These retro photos of chindogu were taken from chindogu.com

Which of these inventions do you need in your life?

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Hi, I'm Shing

Welcome to The Culture Map, a place where I share my travel guides, adventurous tales, and capture the inspiring diversity of our world.

12 Responses

  1. I quite like that umbrellas for shoes which you did not elaborate on in the post. It actually might work in Japan, but not in Malaysia, or anywhere with potholes and poodles!

    1. Haha trust you to pick up on that. Well, especially for you, I’ve now added the umbrella shoes into the list. I trust I’ll see you wearing a pair in the future! 🙂

  2. Hilarious stuff. I didn’t have the Japanese down as funny. Weird yes! Inventive yes! But funny ah well! I’ll go for the umbrella shoes. Very useful when in Britain me reckons or on a spring windy day! the chopstick fans could move up the charts one day. You just never know Shing but the creepy hand… Just say No!

    1. I’m not sure if they’re even trying to be funny! But funny it certainly is! I think the chopstick fan is going to take off… a soon-to-be essential item for the kitchen 😉

  3. I have been living in Japan for over 2 years now and I have never seen these things in real life.
    BUT, I have seen other crazy stuff.
    If you want to see the weird and Japanese I suggest visiting a shop called Don Quijote.

    1. Hi Lena, sorry for the late reply, I’ve only just seen your comment. Haha, there’s always crazy stuff to see in Japan – even if its not these I’ve listed! I’ve just checked out Don Quijote – it looks fantastically bright and gimmicky!

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