From Mail Order Life to the World Stage
Chindōgu (珍道具), meaning “unusual tool,” was coined by Kenji Kawakami, a Japanese inventor and former editor of the home-shopping magazine Mail Order Life. In unused pages of the magazine, Kawakami began showcasing bizarre prototypes designed to solve everyday problems.
Though these inventions seemed practical, they often created new complications, disqualifying them from being truly useful. He dubbed these items chindōgu, which he later described more fittingly as “weird tools.”
Global Popularity Through Print and TV
Dan Papia introduced chindōgu to English-speaking audiences through a monthly feature in Tokyo Journal, encouraging readers to submit ideas. In 1995, Kawakami and Papia collaborated on the book 101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions, which helped the concept gain global attention.
Many of the inventions struck a humorous tone, like a baby outfit that cleaned the floor as a child crawled, or a tissue roll hat for hay fever sufferers. Although chindōgu were considered impractical, some—like the selfie stick—later gained mainstream use.
Rules That Define a Chindōgu
The International Chindōgu Society, founded by Kawakami, outlined ten guiding principles that each invention must follow. These include: it cannot be for real use, must physically exist, cannot be sold commercially, and should not be created purely for humor.
Chindōgu should offer an anarchic spirit, exist for everyday life, and be free of propaganda, taboo, and prejudice. They also cannot be patented. Humor, while present, is only a side effect. The tenets reinforce that chindōgu sit in a gray area between usefulness and absurdity.
In Media and Popular Culture
Chindōgu gained additional exposure through appearances on television. The BBC featured them on It’ll Never Work?, a children’s show that often presented humorous gadgets. Kenji Kawakami also appeared on the Insomniac episode “Sloshed in Translation” with Dave Attell in 2004, showcasing his inventions like the solar flashlight, step-powered hair dryer, and baby duster.
Despite their impracticality, chindōgu inventions continue to intrigue audiences worldwide for their ingenuity and absurd charm. Kawakami’s work has inspired both amateur inventors and professional designers to think differently about problem-solving.
A Japanese inventor created a bizarre new category of everyday gadgets called chindōgu—items that solve one problem while creating another.
These strange devices aren’t jokes, but they’re not quite useful either.
And they’ve fascinated people worldwide ever since…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/qf40pIO0kP
— Detective Tiger’s Stories (@TigerDetective) June 18, 2025