[For Seniors] Laugh-Out-Loud, Crowd-Pleasing! Fun Quiz

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Work experience in a hospital as a physical therapistNakamū
I worked as a physical therapist at a general hospital for about four years. I’ve supported a wide range of patients, from those needing emergency rehabilitation to those doing rehabilitation at home at a comfortable pace. As a writer, I’d be happy to share health-related information with many people. Thank you, and I look forward to working with you!

Quick wits matter! We bring you laugh-out-loud brain teasers and riddles that make you blurt out “Ahh!” or “I see!” the moment you get the answer or someone tells you the correct one.

There are plenty of riddles that are friendly and familiar for seniors, too.

If the answer doesn’t come easily, try thinking it through with the people around you, or offer small hints to guide everyone toward the solution.

Those “almost got it, but not quite” questions give your brain a great workout.

Enjoy a delightful time that brings a little chuckle and a smile the moment the answer clicks.

Japanese Culture, Geography, and Health Knowledge (11–20)

The largest lake in Japan is Lake Biwa, the second largest is Lake Kasumigaura, so what is the third largest lake?

If you’re asked, “What’s the largest lake in Japan?” many people can instantly answer, “Lake Biwa!” Fewer people know the runner-up, which is Lake Kasumigaura.

So what about third place? That’s where many might hesitate.

The correct answer is Lake Saroma.

It’s a brackish lake in Hokkaido, and its size surprises a lot of people.

Geography quizzes like these—familiar yet full of unknowns—are surefire crowd-pleasers for both adults and kids.

Drop one into casual conversation, and you might spark an unexpected lively exchange.

These slightly nostalgic, Showa-era-style knowledge quizzes are also perfect for a bit of brain training.

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kojifumi

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How many hours before going to bed should you eat dinner?

While you may want to lie down right after a delicious dinner, it’s best to wait a bit.

So how long should you wait after dinner? The answer is three hours.

Food takes about two to three hours to digest.

If you go to bed sooner than three hours, it puts a burden on your digestive system as it’s still working, and that activity can also make it harder to fall asleep.

If you have no choice but to eat late, have a small snack in the late afternoon and keep your dinner to about 70% full.

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SAKI

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When your eyes are tired, what color should you look at to relieve eye fatigue?

The answer is “green.” Green is said to have psychological effects that help you relax and ease tension in the mind and body.

Perhaps the reason we place houseplants in our rooms is that, without realizing it, we modern people seek healing and relaxation.

Also, haven’t you heard that when your eyes are tired, it’s good to look at distant mountains? It’s said that looking far away rather than up close allows the eye muscles to relax.

This, too, is the wisdom of our predecessors.

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When does “between meals” mean in terms of how to take medicine?

Among older adults, many probably receive medications from the hospital.

Some of you might also have been instructed to take your medicine “between meals.” So, when exactly does “between meals” mean you should take your medicine? Many people think it means during a meal, but that’s incorrect.

The answer is: between one meal and the next—for example, between breakfast and lunch, or between lunch and dinner.

Strictly speaking, the guideline is about 2 to 3 hours after eating.

If you’re an older adult and you’re given medicine with the instruction to take it “between meals,” please be careful to follow this timing.

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SAKI

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In prehistoric times, very few people got cavities. Why was that?

It’s surprising to think that our human ancestors, primitive people, didn’t have cavities, isn’t it? How could that be in a time without toothbrushes or toothpaste? The hint lies in the foods they ate back then.

The answer is that they only had hard foods.

Hard foods naturally increase the number of times you chew, which stimulates plenty of saliva, helping wash away bacteria and the like.

In contrast, in modern times, the increase in soft foods makes it easier for food to get stuck between teeth, and because we chew far fewer times, saliva production has greatly decreased, making us much more prone to cavities.

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SAKI

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What is the reason your head gets an intense, sharp pain when you eat cold things like ice or ice cream?

Many older adults have probably experienced that sharp, piercing headache after eating shaved ice or ice cream on a hot summer day.

But why does that happen? It’s puzzling, isn’t it? The short answer is: it’s your brain being fooled! When something cold passes through your throat, the brain mistakes the cold sensation for pain.

This phenomenon even has a name: “ice cream headache.” On hot days you might want to gobble things down to feel the chill quickly, but eating slowly and calmly can help prevent it!

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SAKI

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Among Nagano Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Oita Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Yamaguchi Prefecture, which one is the odd one out?

If you’re good at geography, this is a piece of cake! The answer to “Which one is the odd one out among Nagano, Mie, Oita, Ibaraki, and Yamaguchi Prefectures?” is Nagano! Even after hearing the answer, some people might not immediately get it, but Nagano is the only one among them that doesn’t face the sea—it’s landlocked.

People connected to Nagano or those who know geography well might get it without any hints.

However, for many, it’s a fairly tricky question.

If you open a map of Japan and point to each prefecture, it may become easier to arrive at the answer by noticing, “Inland—no sea!”

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