[For Seniors] Perfect for Brain Training! Lively Trivia (11–20)
It is considered best to perform Setsubun bean throwing at night.
Setsubun is a traditional Japanese event.
In households with children, there are many opportunities to do mamemaki (bean throwing).
Although it’s something we often do without much thought, do you know what time of day it’s considered best to perform mamemaki? The answer is “at night.” Since ancient times, it has been believed that oni (demons) come at midnight.
It was also recommended to do it at night when the whole family is gathered, to drive away worldly desires from the heart and welcome the new season in purity.
Today, however, holding it at midnight can cause noise issues and make cleaning difficult, so it is generally done in the early evening to nighttime.
A model of an Asian giant dragonfly (oni-yanma) has an insect-repellent effect.
The Oniyanma (Golden-ringed dragonfly) is known as the largest dragonfly in Japan, characterized by its black body with distinctive yellow stripes.
Preying on moths, flies, horseflies, and wasps, the Oniyanma is considered a king of the insect world, and its prey are said to instinctively fear it and flee at the sight of it.
In fact, repellent decoys that leverage the Oniyanma’s deterrent effect are already on the market and are reportedly so popular that they frequently sell out.
Wearing one during outdoor activities or leisure outings may help you avoid insect troubles.
When eating an Ehomaki on Setsubun, what you must not do is talk.
When it comes to must-eat foods for Setsubun, ehomaki definitely tops the list.
It originally started as a culinary custom in the Kansai region, but is said to have spread nationwide after convenience store chains and supermarkets began selling it.
In fact, there’s something you shouldn’t do when eating ehomaki: talk.
Proper etiquette is to eat it silently while facing the year’s lucky direction for Setsubun.
On Setsubun, keep this custom in mind as you eat to invite good fortune.
The number of ridges on a bottle beer crown cap is 21.
Beer—often called the water of life for adults—is beloved by many.
While everyone has their favorite brewery, label, and style, we can all agree on that irresistible refreshing sensation.
Here’s a bit of trivia about beer: the crimped edge on a bottle cap.
Do you know how many ridges it has? The answer is 21.
The reason is that when the cap is crimped onto the bottle, securing it at three points provides the most stable support, and using 21 points—a multiple of three—proved to be the most effective.
Next time, before you have a drink, why not take a moment to check the ridges on the cap?
Not only the first spring storm exists, but there are also the second and third.
Personally, I have the impression that strong gusts often blow in spring—how about you? The so-called “haru ichiban” is, in my vague understanding, something like “a strong wind that blows in spring,” but borrowing the Japan Meteorological Agency’s wording, it’s defined as “a warm, somewhat strong southerly wind observed over a wide area between Risshun (the start of spring) and the spring equinox.” Apparently, this “first spring gale” can also be followed by “second spring gale,” “third spring gale,” and so on.
However, these are not official terms of the JMA; they’re more at the level of expressions used in news programs.
I mean, if someone said “the 50th spring gale,” that’d be a bit much, right?
[For Seniors] Perfect for Brain Training! Fun Trivia (21–30)
The story of how butter long ago wasn’t used as food
We often use butter in familiar ways, like spreading it on bread or as an ingredient in cooking and baking.
But here’s a fun fact: butter wasn’t originally used for eating, and it had some surprising applications.
Butter is said to have appeared around 2000 BCE and spread from ancient Greece and Rome throughout Europe.
It’s reported that butter was used as an ointment and a beauty cream.
When it was formally introduced to Japan in the Meiji era, it had already become established as a food, which makes those earlier uses seem hard to believe.
