General knowledge quiz time! From trivia to questions about Japan and the world

Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

Whether you’re so interested in Japanese history and culture that you end up researching on your own, or you feel it seems too much like studying and can’t quite get into it, there are all kinds of people out there.

For those who are interested in various aspects of Japan—and even for those who aren’t—turning them into quizzes might just spark a bit of curiosity! In this article, we’ll present quizzes covering general knowledge and trivia about Japanese history, culture, and customs.

Let these quizzes be your starting point to learn even more about Japan!

Japanese History, Culture, and Customs Quiz (11–20)

What is the meaning embodied in kazunoko (herring roe) in Osechi cuisine?

diligence
longevity
prosperity of descendants

See the answer

prosperity of descendants

Kazunoko is herring roe, but when written in kanji it becomes “二親” (two parents), and from the image of many children being born to two parents, it is considered a lucky food symbolizing prosperity of descendants. By the way, black beans (kuromame) represent diligence, and shrimp represent longevity.

Raise the rankinglower

sasashina

Report a problem

What was the childhood name of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, known as the younger brother of Minamoto no Yoritomo who founded the Kamakura shogunate?

Kichijiro
Ushiwakamaru
Kurō

See the answer

Ushiwakamaru

Minamoto no Yoshitsune’s childhood name was Ushiwakamaru. He was placed in the care of Kurama-dera during his early years and was known by this name. Yoshitsune was gifted with exceptional martial talent from a young age and is also famous for creating numerous legends together with Benkei. He later played a vital role in overthrowing the Taira clan, but due to conflict with his elder brother Yoritomo, he met a tragic end.

Raise the rankinglower

Hoshino Takashi

Report a problem

Japan’s three major duties are “paying taxes,” “working,” and what’s the third?

effort
creation
Education

See the answer

Education

Japan’s three major civic duties are paying taxes, working, and education. These are stipulated in the Constitution of Japan to create a better society. Specifically, the duty of education means that parents must ensure their children receive nine years of compulsory schooling. Paying taxes means contributing taxes, and working refers to being engaged in labor.

Raise the rankinglower

sasashina

Report a problem

For whom was the Nikko Toshogu Shrine built?

Minamoto no Yoritomo
Oda Nobunaga
Tokugawa Ieyasu

See the answer

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Nikkō Tōshōgū is a Shinto shrine that enshrines Tōshō Daigongen—the deified form of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo shogunate—as its principal deity. Founded in 1617 after Tokugawa Ieyasu’s death, it remains a historic landmark that attracts many visitors today.

Raise the rankinglower

Hoshino Takashi

Report a problem

We use cucumbers for spirit horses; which vegetable is used for the spirit cow?

eggplant
carrot
daikon

See the answer

eggplant

Shōryōma and shōryōushi are vehicles prepared during Obon to carry ancestral spirits. A shōryōma is made by attaching chopstick legs to a cucumber, and a shōryōushi is made by attaching chopstick legs to an eggplant. Ancestors ride the shōryōma when coming home and the shōryōushi when returning, because people wish for them to come quickly and go back slowly.

Raise the rankinglower

sasashina

Report a problem

What color of roses are given on Father’s Day in Japan?

yellow
red
white

See the answer

yellow

On Mother’s Day we give carnations, but did you know that on Father’s Day we give roses? The color of the roses is yellow. This is a Japanese custom, said to have started with the “Father’s Day Yellow Ribbon Campaign” held in 1981. In the United States, people reportedly give red or white roses.

Raise the rankinglower

sasashina

Report a problem

Japanese History, Culture, and Customs Quiz (21–30)

What is the meaning behind the chestnut kinton included in osechi cuisine?

health luck
financial luck
Love fortune

See the answer

financial luck

Kurikinton is one of the most popular dishes in osechi cuisine, and its vivid golden color evokes gold bars and treasure, making it a symbol of good fortune and increased wealth. Eating kurikinton at the start of the new year carries the hope that abundant prosperity will come to one’s household and oneself. Its bright hue also adds a festive touch to celebratory gatherings.

Raise the rankinglower

moko

Report a problem