The device known as shoyu-tai (or soy-sauce snapper in Japanese) was invented in 1954 by Teruo Watanabe, the founder of Osaka-based company Asahi Sogyo, according to a report from Japan’s Radio Kansai.

It was then common for glass and ceramic containers to be used but the advent of cheap industrial plastics allowed the creation of a small polyethylene container in the shape of a fish, officially named the “Lunch Charm”.

The invention quickly spread around Japan and eventually worldwide, and it is estimated that billions have been produced.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

Portability is a fair point, but I feel like we shouldn't count cost, since that's the line of thinking that got us into this mess.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment