Useless Japanese invention

I found this old silly book, then I found the book is published in English too. The title is "101 un-seless Japanese invention".  The original title is "chindogu" it means unuseless, it "means funny tool".  Let's check the book.

This is a ramen soup block. Since Japanese slurp noodles (With sound! Yep, it is not rude in Japan.) and get spattered with soup. This . Shampoo shield can be used to block scratching.

Since the main transportation in Tokyo is by train, there are many train items in this book.
When you find an empty seat but it seems too small this will help you.

Japanese sleep well in trains, sometimes even when she stands. A little bit scary looks though.

In crowded train, you can't always get to a grab handle. So you can take your own one

At least two times, I passed the station where I needed to get off. I wish I could have this. :-p

I want this, a perfect umbrella

He wipes his hand there not because he doesn't have a handkerchief. Because he HAS a handkerchief there.

Actually in this season, we need tissues a lot. In Tokyo you can get free tissues everywhere, but it won't be enough. This one seems to have good cost performance.

When you read a book in your bed, you don't need to care about eyeglasses. But not only for reading,. This would be useful in other purpose too.

And here are some kitchen items. Some people say they hate to have eye contact with fish, so.

I think this butter is useful. I got a spray cheese when I went to the U.S. That was useful too.

You may see more items here. Then you think the title "useless" is nice for the book? Some items look very useful to me. But on the other hand, if they had time to translate such a book, there are more useful, important books. he he he.

Comments

[huangsy]

The pink so-called soup block looks exactly like what I used decades ago when I was a kid, a shampoo shield to prevent the soap suds from flowing into my sensitive eyes. Deja vu ! ^-^

[Sam and Ali]

this site is mad. it helped us with our assignment

[Mari]

Hi there
wow, the book is well known already? I did not know that.

[Jedicraft]

The Japanese Spiderman was scary. How did you find it?

[Claytonain]

Ramen-splattering is the bane of my existence

[bokbaksa]

excuse me.
I'd like to change my comments('useless' to 'useful') It's my mistake but in your post I can't find "modify" function...

[bokbaksa]

Hello, Mari.
That book looks funny and useless to me.
In fact, I don't know the word "chindogu". Thank you for your post.

[Dave]

Actually the name of the book is "101 Un-useless Japanese Inventions".

I have a copy of it at home. In the foreward the Translator talks about chindogu and how tricky it is to translate words like that.

[Vykintas]

Wow, i remember reading that "old silly book" in english long long ago.
By the way, then i thought and still do now, that the "ramen soup block" is supposed to not let the hair to get in the soup. I dont think it would prevent getting spattered accidently.

[Jonathan]

Hey Mari,

In Canada, we used to have chindogu commercials on TV. Well, they weren't really commercials but they were clips showing the various inventions. I haven't seen one in a few years though.

Jonathan