Grumbling stomach? Trumpet-blast fart? It’s the Kamihime to the rescue!
In today’s increasingly digital world, some would argue that using paper has become an obsolete method of note-taking. If your boss or professor says something important enough to take a memo about, it’s probably important enough to input in your PC, phone, or some other electronic device for safekeeping.
But while Japanese company Ogiri Printing’s newest brainchild, the Kamihime, is indeed a paper notepad, there’s nothing old-fashioned about how it’s meant to be used.
For starters, you’re not supposed to whip out your Kamihime when your brain is firing, but when your stomach is rumbling. Opening the cover produces a sudden burst of 97-decibel noise. By comparison, the sound of a lawnmower is only about 90 decibels, and so opening your Kamihime is supposed to mask the sound of your stomach rumbling during a meeting or lecture, which Ogiri and Eins hope will help save users from a bit of embarrassment
Of course, if your stomach growls once, it’s going to growl again unless you eat something. But once again, the Kamihime can help, since its paper is edible.
Though it’s made of paper (specifically materials left over after regular printing processes), you can eat the sheets that come inside the Kamihime. Granted, they won’ taste like much…unless you use the pen that’s included with the notepad, which writes in edible ink with a coffee flavor.
▼ The Kamihime in action
As weird as the idea may seem, it could actually prove useful, since in Japan snacking during meetings and classes is generally frowned upon. Ostensibly, you’re supposed to eat the pages of your Kamihime in a more discrete manner than the presenter in the video does, letting you surreptitiously suppress stomach rumblings until the session wraps up and you can get some real food. Also, if you’ll excuse us for being crass, it seems like the noise made by opening the Kamihime cover could also be highly effective in covering the sound of a fart you just can’t hold in any longer (though this use isn’t specifically mentioned by the designers).
While it’s still in the design and testing phase, Ogiri says is serious about actually bringing the product to market, and if it catches on, maybe one day we’ll see them roll out seasonal flavor pens as well. Oh, and if you’re wondering how they came up with the name Kamihime, which means “Paper Princess,” the answer has to do with embarrassingly loud poops.
Source: Value Press, Ogiri Insatsu
Top image: Ogiri Insatsu
Insert images: YouTube/CMYK Official, Ogiri Insatsu
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]