noun
Rube Goldberg machine
A whimsical chain-reaction contraption that performs a simple task in a complicated way, popularized by the NHK children's TV program PythagoraSwitch (ピタゴラスイッチ).
ピタゴラ装置は、NHKの「ピタゴラスイッチ」という番組で有名になった。
Pythagora devices became famous through the NHK program PythagoraSwitch.
彼は段ボールでピタゴラ装置を作って、ビー玉を転がした。
He built a Pythagora device out of cardboard and rolled a marble through it.