Aim for a perfect score! A three-choice common knowledge quiz that deepens your understanding

Kunashir Island

Kunashir Island is pronounced “Kunashiri-tō,” and the name is believed to originate from the Ainu language.

Aomori Prefecture

When asked which is the northernmost prefecture in Japan, you might be tempted to answer Hokkaido, but since the question specifies a “prefecture,” the correct answer is Aomori Prefecture. Located in the Tohoku region, Aomori sits at the northern tip of Honshu and is famous for its apple production and the Aomori Nebuta Festival. In recent years, “Ōma tuna” has also frequently made the news, making it a region you should definitely keep an eye on.

Lake Biwa (670 km²)

Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, with an area of 670 km²—larger than Lake Kasumigaura in Ibaraki (220 km²) and Lake Saroma in Hokkaido (150 km²) combined—is known as the largest lake in Japan. Formed about 4.4 million years ago, it is an ancient lake located fairly close to Kyoto, and it’s said that Oda Nobunaga built Azuchi Castle on its shore to take advantage of water transport. Though it is called a lake, its vastness feels almost like the sea, making it a place you should see at least once.

Fukushima Prefecture

Since Niigata Prefecture is located in the Chubu region and Tochigi Prefecture is in the Kanto region, Fukushima Prefecture is the correct answer. Since 2011, it has also been strongly associated with the Great East Japan Earthquake, but it is known for having many specialty products thanks to its climate, which is well-suited to agriculture. In addition, it is historically important as the setting of the Aizu War, famous for the Byakkotai, so please be sure to remember it.

SDGs

As the successor to the MDGs established in 2001, the globally shared goals decided at the 2015 UN Summit are the SDGs. The official name is “Sustainable Development Goals,” which in Japanese means “Jizoku Kanōna Kaihatsu Mokuhyō” (sustainable development goals). While the abbreviation might seem like it should be SDG, please note the lowercase “s” at the end because it refers to multiple goals.

47

You often see this in various quizzes, but it’s surprisingly hard to recall: there are 47 prefectures in total. Specifically, there is 1 metropolis (Tokyo), 1 circuit (Hokkaido), 2 urban prefectures (Osaka and Kyoto), and 43 prefectures. This number was set in 1972 when Okinawa was returned by the United States to Japan, so try remembering that together as well.

45 degrees

The angle for the most respectful bow is 45 degrees. Compared to other bows, it is slightly deeper, and after lowering your head, you should look at the tips of your own toes. This bow is used when apologizing and when greeting or seeing off important guests.