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The Big Bento Box of Unuseless Japanese Inventions: The Art of Chindogu

AUTHOR Fearnley-Whittingstall, Hugh; Papia, Dan; Kawakami, Kenji
PUBLISHER W. W. Norton & Company (04/17/2005)
PRODUCT TYPE Paperback (Paperback)

Description

In Japan, Kenji Kawakami is famous for his tireless promotion of Chindogu: the art of the unuseless idea. Kawakami has developed an entire philosophy around these bizarre and logic-defying gadgets and gizmos, which must work but are actually entirely impractical. Created in the spirit of anarchy, unuseless inventions are not allowed to be patented or sold.

Fans of the unuseless will love this completely absorbing collection of 200 Chindogu, including:

  • the Drymobile (your laundry dries as you drive)
  • the Solar-Powered Torch (never runs low on batteries)
  • Duster Slippers for Cats (now the most boring job around the house becomes hours of fun--for your cat )
  • Walk 'n' Wash Ankle-Attachable Laundry Tanks (a perfect solution for the problems of inadequate exercise and hygiene)
  • and many, many more.

These hilarious inventions have taken Japan by storm. Every one of the 200 items in The Big Bento Box of Unuseless Japanese Inventions has actually been manufactured to the highest standards, fully tested by pioneering members of the Japanese public, and documented in their unuselessness with photographs.

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Product Format
Product Details
ISBN-13: 9780393326765
ISBN-10: 0393326764
Binding: Paperback or Softback (Trade Paperback (Us))
Content Language: English
More Product Details
Page Count: 303
Carton Quantity: 32
Product Dimensions: 5.16 x 0.83 x 6.84 inches
Weight: 1.13 pound(s)
Feature Codes: Price on Product, Illustrated
Country of Origin: CN
Subject Information
BISAC Categories
Humor | Form - Essays
Humor | Asian - Japanese
Humor | Form - Pictorial
Dewey Decimal: 608.752
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
annotation
In Japan, Kawakami is famous for his tireless promotion of Chindogu: the art of the "unuseless" idea. Meant to solve problems of modern life, 200 of these bizarre and logic-defying gadgets and gizmos are featured in this humorous collection. Photos.
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publisher marketing

In Japan, Kenji Kawakami is famous for his tireless promotion of Chindogu: the art of the unuseless idea. Kawakami has developed an entire philosophy around these bizarre and logic-defying gadgets and gizmos, which must work but are actually entirely impractical. Created in the spirit of anarchy, unuseless inventions are not allowed to be patented or sold.

Fans of the unuseless will love this completely absorbing collection of 200 Chindogu, including:

  • the Drymobile (your laundry dries as you drive)
  • the Solar-Powered Torch (never runs low on batteries)
  • Duster Slippers for Cats (now the most boring job around the house becomes hours of fun--for your cat )
  • Walk 'n' Wash Ankle-Attachable Laundry Tanks (a perfect solution for the problems of inadequate exercise and hygiene)
  • and many, many more.

These hilarious inventions have taken Japan by storm. Every one of the 200 items in The Big Bento Box of Unuseless Japanese Inventions has actually been manufactured to the highest standards, fully tested by pioneering members of the Japanese public, and documented in their unuselessness with photographs.

Show More

Translator: Papia, Dan
Papia gave up a successful career as a financial journalist in 1991 to focus on more serious pursuits, and almost immediately created the so-called "eye paddle"--a ball painted to look like an eye attached to an optician's chart paddle.
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Paperback