Useless Inventions by Kenji Kawakami (1995)

Chindogu (珍道具) is the Japanese practice of inventing everyday gadgets that appear to solve specific problems, but often create new ones in the process.

Kenji Kawakami, who openly rejected materialism and consumer culture, once said: “I despise materialism and how everything turns into a commodity.” His stance grew from a rebellious student spirit, and Chindogu became its natural expression.

Each invention is handmade and deliberately unsuitable for mass production. In this way, Chindogu stands as the antithesis of consumerism, a playful but pointed critique of efficiency and mass consumption. Kawakami’s ideas later culminated in the founding of the Chindogu Society, formalizing a philosophy that resists the logic of profit and utility.