[For Seniors] Perfect for Brain Training! Exciting Trivia (1–10)
The model for the children’s song “Spring Brook” was Tokyo’s Kōbotsu River.
The children’s song “Haru no Ogawa” (Spring Brook) is something almost every Japanese person knows, as it’s taught in elementary school.
In fact, it is said to have a model brook.
That model is believed to be the Kotsubogawa, a stream that once flowed along today’s Odakyu Line in Tokyo.
One reason for this belief is that the lyricist, Tatsuyuki Takano, is said to have lived near the Kotsubogawa.
Although land development led to the stream being buried underground and repurposed as part of the sewer system—so we can no longer see it—the fact that such a river once existed in Tokyo, now lined with skyscrapers, will likely continue to be passed down along with this song.
The “Sahara” in the Sahara Desert means “desert” in Arabic.
In a certain desert in the northern part of the African continent lies one of the world’s largest, the Sahara.
Many of you have probably heard the name.
In fact, “Sahara” means desert or wilderness in Arabic, so when we say “the Sahara Desert,” it effectively means “desert desert.” Because the name itself already contains the meaning of desert, the formal usage in English and French is to refer to it without adding a word that means desert.
Led by the African Union, measures are being taken to prevent the desert from expanding, but it is said that the desert’s area is still increasing at a rate of about 60,000 square kilometers per year.
In Germany, you need a national license to go fishing.
Many people enjoy fishing as a hobby, and it’s said that catching seasonal fish brings an indescribable sense of accomplishment.
As popular as fishing is, did you know that in Germany, you need a national license to fish? Germany, alongside the Nordic countries, is a leader in environmental protection and pursues conservation with a high level of commitment.
As a result, you must pass a national qualification to fish, clearing both a written and a practical exam, and the license reportedly needs to be renewed every few years.
We should also value and protect the environment in Japan that allows us to enjoy fishing freely.
Carbonara in Italian means “charcoal burner style.”
One of the most beloved pasta dishes, carbonara.
In Italian, “carbonara” means “in the style of the charcoal burner.” Made with cheese, black pepper, pancetta (salt-cured pork), and eggs, it’s a simple yet punchy dish.
Although its origins are debated, one theory says the name comes from the idea that if a charcoal worker cooked pasta during a break, the charcoal dust on their hands would fall onto the dish, giving it that look.
By that logic, there could be as many pasta dishes as there are professions.
Why not paint a sunset, monkeys, and autumn leaves in a public bathhouse mural?
You often see paintings of Mount Fuji on the walls of public bathhouses, but conversely, “sunsets,” “monkeys,” and “autumn leaves” are considered taboo subjects.
A sunset, since the sun is “setting,” evokes the idea of business “declining.” A monkey (saru) is associated by wordplay with customers “leaving” (saru).
Autumn leaves suggest “turning red” and “falling,” which in turn imply “being in the red” and “a drop in customer footfall.” Since bathhouses also hope for prosperous business, they want to avoid anything inauspicious.
Asparagus was originally used for ornamental purposes.
Asparagus has a shape that’s a bit different from other vegetables.
I’ve heard it takes at least three years from sowing the seeds to the first harvest.
I’ve tried growing it a few times myself, but I never made it to harvest…
If managed properly, though, you can keep harvesting for about ten years.
Apparently, asparagus was originally imported as an ornamental plant and only later became a food.
The curiosity of the person who looked at that plant shaped like a horsetail and thought, “Maybe I’ll try eating it,” is pretty extraordinary, isn’t it?
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