Almost-useful inventionsSourced
There is a name for impractical ingenuity
Chindōgu describes ingenious everyday gadgets that appear to solve a problem but may create others. Kenji Kawakami coined the term. Examples include a roll of tissue mounted on a hat, and the society’s principles require that a gadget actually exist.
The idea extends beyond a joke to building the object.
Summary / translation: Unbubly · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Chindōgu · Wikimedia contributors
Adapted, summarized and translated from the source. Adapted text is also available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Reviewed: 2026-10-10