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Originally from the North of England. Growing up my mother had a huge leather bound book full of stories of ghosts, alien sightings, spontaneous combustion, fairies, ghouls and more. You name it, it was in there. And I was fascinated. I've often thought about that book. I'd love to ask my mother about it but alas, she is no longer with us. So I resolved to create this site. It's the closest thing to it I could get. I hope that some of the joy I had reading that book is passed on to you here today.

Chindogu - The answer to the question, what are some useless inventions
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Chindogu – The answer to the question, what are some useless inventions?

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Chindogu is comprised of two words. Chin means strange and Dogu is device. It can also be translated as unusual tool. The phrase was created by Kenji Kawakami. Kenji is the creator of the craze and the inventor of some of the silliest almost useful things I have ever seen.

To be considered Chindogu, your invention has to meet some criteria, which I will list below. For those who just want a quick overview however, here it is. Your invention must be sort of useful but not really. It should also be so shameful to use it that even if it serves a purpose, there is no way you would. Simply because you would look too silly!

But why tell you when I can show you. Below are some of my favourite chindogu creations.

Shoes that double as a dustpan and brush. Others with little umbrellas to stop your feet getting wet. A tie that is also an umbrella, funnel glasses for applying eyedrops and my very favourite, a baby outfit that doubles as a floor cleaner!

Or how about a backscratching guide (although I suspect that’s a little too useful!). Bad at applying lipstick, no worries, here’s the lipstick guide mask. How about a finger glove with a toothbrush on it?

But what if you want to create your own chindogu? Well you can, but of course, you have to follow the rules.

The 10 Rules of Chindogu

01. A chindogu cannot be for real use. If your invention works too well, it ain’t chindogu.

02. A chindogu must exist. You have to create at least a prototype. Nothing “just” on paper.

03. Chindogu are free to be whatever the inventor wants. None of that getting bogged down in mechanics and usability here.

04. The uselessness must be understood by all who look at it. So everyday items that are (sort of) improved but not really.

05. Chindogu are not for sale. As soon as you accept cash, it no longer counts.

06. Hilariousness of the product must be a secondary thought. It cannot be created just for the laughs.

07. No propaganda. Chindogu are almost useless. They are not a statement.

08. No taboo subjects. Vulgarity, sex and sick jokes are not chindogu.

09. No patenting your product.

10. Chindogu view all humans as equal. No prejudice allowed.

Thanks for coming on this silly tour of chindogu with me, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Sources:

The Ten Tenets of Chindogu (chindogu.com)

The unuseless inventions of Kenji Kawakami (tofugu.com)

Kenji Kawakami (wikipedia.com)

Image Header (pixabay.com)

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