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The Yoshimoto Cube is a mechanical polyhedral puzzle made from two complementary, articulated bodies. Each body folds into different geometric forms; the pair can also be joined to make a cube-like whole. Its original design uses eight half-cube-shaped components in each body, linked so they move together.
What is a Yoshimoto Cube?
Yoshimoto Cube No. 1 is a transformable toy attributed to Naoki Yoshimoto. In the technical description of a later hinge patent, it is defined as “a polyhedral mechanical toy or puzzle, invented in 1971 by Naoki Yoshimoto” (patent description). MoMA Design Store, however, says Yoshimoto designed it in 1970 while looking for a way to divide a cube equally (MoMA Design Store listing). The sources therefore give different dates; neither should be treated as an undisputed year.
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- Magic Cube Fidget Toy: The color is a beautiful galaxy space, including Saturn, Uranus, Pluto, Earth, Moon, Venus, and other colorful and magical starry sky stickers that help kids know more about the solar system.
- One is Divided Into 2: This Yoshimoto cube can be divided into 2 hollow cubes or stars, and the two hands can play together at the same time. You can create many different shapes.
- Magic Star Cube: Made of ABS material and stickers. The size is 2.2*2.2*2.2 in, lightweight, compact enough to take anywhere, and easy to carry in a bag, pocket, or car.
- Educational Toys for Boys Girls: It relieves nervousness and anxiety while doing a task or simply waiting, helps you focus on the task at hand, can improve the flexibility of your fingers, also can improve children's attention and logical thinking skills. Very suitable for any environment such as office, school, home, etc.!
- Cube Toys for All Ages: This star cube is the ideal gift for birthdays and holidays. Gifts for family, friends, boys, and girls, especially those with stress and anxiety.
The patent narrative also reports that Yoshimoto developed three versions and that No. 1 entered MoMA’s permanent collection in 1982. Those are claims in the patent description, not a complete history of the puzzle’s production or sales.
How does the Yoshimoto Cube work?
Two complementary bodies
The No. 1 design consists of two polyhedra, each built from eight half-cube-shaped components connected in an articulated arrangement. The bodies are complementary: they can be separated, moved through configurations of their own, and coupled again to form one body, including a cube shape.
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- Magic Star Cube: This magic cube is made of ABS material and sticker. The size is 2.2*2.2*2.2 in, lightweight, compact enough to take anywhere, and easy to carry in a bag, pocket, or car.
- Cool Little Thing for Kids: Easily fold over and over to keep hands busy, more like a fidget toy. Parents and children can flip together and enjoy a relaxing parent-child time.
- One is Divided Into 2: This Yoshimoto cube comes in two interlocking sections that can be folded into a cube, rectangle, or star shape. It has a variety of shapes that can be played with both hands at the same time and is great for long car trips and planes to pass the time.
- Fun Magic Puzzle: It's a mix of colored squares that challenge your thinking in the process of flipping. It helps to develop logical thinking, divergent thinking, hand-eye coordination, and spatial skills.
- Ideal Toys for All Ages: Yoshimoto cube can not only release the stress of work for adults but also release the anxiety of children. This star cube fidget toy is a gift for kids, teens, adults, and seniors.
Folding between forms
Rather than being a solid cube that simply opens, each body changes silhouette as its linked components fold around their connections. The patent describes cube-shaped and star-shaped forms, as well as two extended, substantially planar forms. The two bodies’ complementary arrangement makes it possible to bring them together as a cube-like whole.
This describes the mechanism in the patent; it is not a claim that every edition or related puzzle moves in exactly the same way. A document hosted by Horibe titled “THE YOSHIMOTO CUBE” includes No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 and manipulation instructions, but its bibliographic authority and commercial availability are not established here (Horibe document).
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- Animals & Birds Themes Fidget Cube: It's a fun puzzle game that creates different shape patterns that fold into cubes, rectangles, or star shapes. Each side of the square features realistic Wild Animals (elephant, giraffe, lion, panda, tiger, zebra, flamingo, owl, peacock, scarlet macaw, swan，toucans) patterns, and the star shape depicts a variety of animal skin textures, allowing the children to learn through play.
- 2-in-1 Fidget Toy: This Yoshimoto cube can be divided into 2 hollow cubes or stars, and the two hands can play together at the same time. Comfortably held in the hand, enjoy hours of mind-challenging fun, improve attention and logical thinking abilities, stimulate imagination and creativity.
- Anti-Anxiety and Stress Reliever Cube: Made of ABS material and stickers. Cube size: 2.2x2.2x2.2 in, lightweight, compact enough to take anywhere, and easy to carry in a bag, pocket, or car. Whether it's a picnic or a road trip, it's a great way to relieve travel fatigue and pass the time.
- Educational Toys for Boys and Girls: It relieves nervousness and anxiety while doing a task or simply waiting, helps you focus on the task at hand, and can improve the flexibility of your fingers. Very suitable for any environment such as office, school, home, etc.!
- Great Gift Set for All Ages: This wild animal magic star cube is ideal for kids' birthday/holidays/zoo theme gifts. Gifts to families, friends, boys, girls, and especially people who are stressed and anxious.
What connects the pieces, and what are the design trade-offs?
The patent explains that the original design used flexible film, such as transparent plastic, to connect components. It says this approach keeps the connections compact, but the film can wear and small gaps may appear between surfaces in some configurations. These are design observations in the patent, not independently measured durability findings.
The later patent describes a hinge approach intended to reduce gaps while retaining the pair’s complementary coupling. That is a distinct documented mechanism; it does not establish that every Yoshimoto Cube sold today uses hinges or has identical movement and play patterns (hinge patent).
Rank #4
- One is Divided Into 2: This Yoshimoto cube can be divided into 2 hollow cubes or stars, and both hands can play together at the same time. This pocket-size design enables you to bring it wherever you go.
- Magic Cube Toy: The colorful marine stickers help kids know more about the ocean animal. Parents and children can flip together and enjoy a relaxing parent-child time.
- Smooth Rotation in All Directions: Easily fold over and over to keep hands busy, more like a fidget toy. It's great for long car trips and planes to pass the time.
- Portable Size: The size of the star cube allows children easy to flip, It helps to develop logical thinking, divergent thinking, hand-eye coordination, and spatial skills.
- Ideal Toys for All Ages: This star cube is the ideal gift for birthdays and holidays. Nice gifts for family, friends, boys, and girls, especially those with stress and anxiety.
How do later related designs differ?
A 2021 patent publication describes a related polyhedral toy with two toy bodies, each containing eight polyhedral unit bodies. It documents transformations between a cube and a stellated polyhedron, along with color-reversal play, and presents those features as a way to expand play patterns. It is evidence of a related design, not proof that those features belong to every Yoshimoto Cube edition (2021 patent publication).
When identifying a version or comparing transformable puzzles, check the specific product for its mechanism, whether it has two bodies that couple into a cube, the forms each body can make, and whether it is No. 1 or another variant. The patent descriptions cover different designs, so their features should not be blended together.
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- Package includes: you will get 4 pieces 2 in 1 magic star cube, which can bring much fun by unfolding the 2 layers of cubes to create renew shapes or separating them to have 2 different cubes to play with
- Multiple transformation: the infinity cube can be folded and flipped in different directions, which allow you to transform its shape from cube to rectangle, even stars, flexible and novel, bringing you endless fun and inspire your creativity
- Material and size: the 2 in 1 infinity cube toy is made of quality plastic material, with a smooth surface and rounded corners, reliable to use and reusable, supporting you for a long time use; This infinite cube measures approx. 6 x 6 x 6 cm/ 2.36 x 2.36 x 2.36 inches, lightweight and portable, making it easy to carry around and have fun anytime
- Stress relief helper: the magic star cube can reduce stress, improve your focus and kill the time, allowing you to concentrate on the tasks at hand; A break will relieve the anxiety and stress from work or study, making your mind clear to deal with the project and improving your work efficiency
- Funny Gift: these 2 in 1 fidget cube toy are fun gifts for your friend, family, and classmates on birthdays, festivals and holidays, especially those who endure stressful work or study, so that they can relax while playing the toy
Where can I find a Yoshimoto Cube?
MoMA Design Store lists a product called “Yoshimoto Cube No. 1 Desktop Puzzle.” That confirms the product name appears in its store catalog; it does not establish current stock, price, or availability through another retailer. Check the store listing directly for its current details (Yoshimoto Cube No. 1 Desktop Puzzle).
If you are trying to identify one you have seen, the name “Yoshimoto Cube No. 1” and descriptions of gold and silver parts may help narrow the search, but color alone does not confirm an edition. A single public post used the phrase “I need to find this cube”; it is an example of a product-identification query, not evidence of how common that description is.
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