RAG Mus...reation Recreation game [For Seniors] ...Introducing a Quiz [For Seniors] Fun and Informative! Trivia and Quizzes Introduced Have you ever found it hard to keep a conversation going with an older adult, or wondered what to talk about?
At times like that, why not incorporate some fun trivia into your communication?
It can liven up the conversation, help you learn things you didn’t know before, and make for an enjoyable time together.
There’s trivia that feels familiar to older adults, as well as tidbits with surprising answers.
Trivia quizzes are also great as ideas for recreational activities.
They can be done while seated and are suitable for all genders, so many people can enjoy them.
Quizzes stimulate the brain and can help prevent dementia or slow its progression.
Try incorporating trivia quizzes while having fun!
Table of Contents [For Seniors] Fun and Informative! Trivia and Quizzes Introduced What is the most common surname in Japan? Nara Park is famous for its deer. How do you think they count the number of deer? What foods become more nutritious when frozen? Why are mailboxes red? How many events have been held continuously from the first Olympic Games to the present? What is the summertime tradition that originated in Wakayama Prefecture? Who was the first recipient of the People’s Honor Award? What is the reason monks strike a wooden fish (mokugyo) when chanting sutras and the like? In the Edo period, what was bush warbler droppings used for? How far does a hamster run in a day? How many new events were added starting with the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games? What new sports were added to the 2024 Paris Olympics? What was the event called in which artworks on sports themes competed for rankings, which once used to be an Olympic discipline? What do you call an athlete who has competed in the Olympics? Which country leads the parade of nations at the Olympic opening ceremony? Which country marches last in the Olympic Parade of Nations? What bird always appears at the Olympic opening ceremony? When you buy convenience store oden in Aichi Prefecture, what is it that you receive? What foods won’t freeze even if you put them in a household freezer? Not only the first spring storm exists, but there are also the second and third. What is ‘moshi moshi’ on the phone short for? Who is said to be the first person to have eaten “ramen” in Japan? What was the first commercially sold frozen food in Japan? Under what kind of trees do matsutake mushrooms grow? What are the buttons on the sleeves of school uniforms and suits for? What is the carbonated soft drink that isn’t famous in other prefectures but is hugely popular in Hokkaido? All western lowland gorillas have the same blood type. Which type is it? Who is the only Japanese deity among the Seven Lucky Gods? What happens if you heat ice in a microwave? What should you do with one hand to sing in a high voice at karaoke? What is the tallest animal in the world? What is the purpose of the groove on the end of a toothpick where you hold it? It’s said that there are more dentists than a certain type of shop, but which of the following shops are there fewer of? What was used as the goal when basketball was first invented? It’s said that when a certain bird flies low, it will rain. Which bird is it? “Nimaime” is a term originating from Kabuki that refers to a gentle, handsome man. What kind of role does “Gomaime” refer to? What kind of hospitals are there more of than convenience stores? When do we see dreams while sleeping, and in what state is the body at that time? What were the unruly and immoral youths—said to be named after Shintaro Ishihara’s novel—called? Trivia Quiz: Japan’s Three Great ___ — What’s the last one? What does the “punch” in a punch perm refer to? In what language is the word “pom-pom,” which is used for cheering? Sports Quiz Virtual Japan Travel Quiz Hot Spring Resort Quiz Fishing Quiz Which has higher nutritional value, fresh daikon or dried daikon (kiriboshi daikon)? What is the reason ginkgo trees are often planted as street trees? What are the two nutrients needed for strong bones? For maintaining good health, how many grams or more of vegetables is it desirable to consume per day? In which prefecture in Japan can you see the latest autumn foliage? Natto is said to have a blood-thinning effect. What time of day is best to eat it to achieve a greater effect? When did the Obon holiday become established? Until when does New Year’s Day—the first day of the year—refer to? Why do fireflies glow? Morning glory seeds originally came to Japan as a medicine. What kind of medicine were they? Mosquitoes that appear in summer: Which one sucks blood, the female or the male? What is the official name of the marble inside a bottle of ramune? What is the reason we don’t eat eel as sashimi? What ingredients help prevent food poisoning when included in a bento? What is the name of the headache you get when eating cold foods like shaved ice, where your head suddenly aches sharply? Why did sushi and sashimi start being served with wasabi? What was the original purpose of kombu-jime? What will the weather be like when contrails linger for a long time? It’s said that you can tell the weather by the height at which a certain bird flies. Which bird is it? Which has more ribs, a Japanese umbrella (wagasa) or a Western-style umbrella? The “Sahara” in the Sahara Desert means “desert” in Arabic. In Germany, you need a national license to go fishing. The number of ridges on a bottle beer crown cap is 21. When eating an Ehomaki on Setsubun, what you must not do is talk. It is considered best to perform Setsubun bean throwing at night. Japan’s first moving walkway debuted in 1967 (Showa 42). Do you know where it made its first appearance? In 1970 (Showa 45), the local call charge for public telephones became 10 yen for 3 minutes. What had the pricing structure been like before that? What day is February 11? What is the fire called that is burned when sending ancestors back on August 16? How many days are there in a leap year? “Bow-wow” represents the sound made by a dog in English. What animal is it? What vegetable was once grown for ornamental purposes because it was considered ‘poisonous’? If you heat a certain item in the microwave, it will remove unpleasant odors inside. What is that item? From the late 1950s to the 1960s in the Showa era, a certain indoor sport became extremely popular. What sport was it? One high-end ingredient that represents autumn in Japan is described as having a “smell trapped in leather shoes,” and it isn’t commonly eaten in the West. What is this luxury ingredient? Why is it that we don’t eat eel raw? What is the plant that is said to be essential for Obon and whose shape resembles a Bon lantern? The shelf used to display ancestral tablets and offerings during Obon is called a “bon-dana.” What is its other name? When you feel a sneeze coming on, you can stop it by using a certain part of your body. How do you use that body part? When you can’t stop coughing, drinking a syrup made by soaking a certain vegetable in honey can calm it. What is that vegetable? Osechi dishes, each ingredient and material carrying auspicious meanings—Which foods are eaten to pray for good financial fortune? Among the many foods, there is only one that does not spoil. What is it? The calves are also called the “second heart.” Using a part of the body, what is it called as the “second” what? When is the expiration date for the ice cream? Asparagus was originally used for ornamental purposes. There are three katakana characters hidden in the giraffe mark of Kirin Beer. What do the characters spell? What does the term “zenchi” (as used when someone is injured) mean? In “cream puff,” the word choux comes from French and means a vegetable. Which vegetable is it? Mr. Shojiro Ishibashi, the founder of a tire manufacturer, named the company after his surname. What is the name of the tire manufacturer? What is the name of the event, mainly held in Nagasaki and Saga prefectures, in which the spirits of ancestors and Obon offerings are placed on a boat and floated down a river? Like humans, do dogs also lose their baby teeth and grow permanent teeth? What kinds of emotions are considered beneficial for health? Scissors that have become dull can be revived by cutting something found in a household kitchen. What is that “something?” In which prefecture is the Gujo Odori, a Bon dance also known as the “All-Night Dance,” held? ...to be continued [For Seniors] Fun and Informative! Trivia and Quizzes (91–100) Scissors that have become dull can be revived by cutting something found in a household kitchen. What is that “something?” Scissors are stationery that everyone uses daily, but their sharpness inevitably dulls over time.
However, even dulled scissors can be easily revived just by cutting a common household item.
The hint is something from the kitchen: it’s made of metal, yet it can be cut with scissors—this should make it clear.
The answer is aluminum foil.
It’s said that a phenomenon occurs where the aluminum compensates for the worn parts of the scissors.
Since the effect is only temporary, it’s good to remember that properly sharpening them with tools is a more reliable solution.
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In which prefecture is the Gujo Odori, a Bon dance also known as the “All-Night Dance,” held? During Obon, when we welcome our ancestors, festivals are sometimes held, and in many cases Bon Odori dances are performed.
Among these dances, there is a special one called Gujo Odori, also known as the All-Night Dance (Tetsuya Odori).
In which prefecture is it held? The answer is Gifu Prefecture.
It is a traditional Bon dance that is also inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
A major feature is that people continue dancing from night until the following morning, and it is said to combine both memorial rites for ancestors and elements of entertainment.
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[For Seniors] Fun and Informative! Trivia and Quizzes (101–110) About 20% of elementary school students wear uniforms. It’s said that about 20% of elementary school students wear uniforms.
The wearing rate varies by region, with higher rates in western Japan, Shikoku, and the Chugoku region.
Some parents point out benefits of having uniforms, such as not having to worry about what to wear and avoiding differences caused by casual clothes.
However, since elementary school children are in a period of rapid growth, uniforms can quickly become too small.
Replacing them can also be costly.
Incidentally, uniforms were introduced in elementary schools during the Meiji era.
The topic of uniforms also seems likely to lead into discussions with older adults about what they wore in their own elementary school days.
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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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If Obon arrives before the 49th day (after the passing), when will the first Obon (shinbon) be? The period from the date of death through the forty-ninth day is called “kicho” (a time of mourning), during which one grieves for the deceased and observes mourning.
If Obon occurs before the forty-ninth day, when this mourning period ends, when is the first Obon (hatsu-bon)? The answer is: during the Obon of the following year after the person’s death.
It is customary not to hold the first-Obon memorial that same year.
If someone brings offerings thinking it is the first Obon, it is generally acceptable to receive the offerings and explain that the first Obon will be held the following year.
This is one of the points of knowledge about Obon, including how to handle such situations.
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There’s an unusual surname that’s written with the characters for April 1st but read as “Watanuki.” When April comes, we often get a spell of pleasantly warm weather, don’t we? So here are some fun facts related to the springtime mood.
There are people whose surname is written with the characters for “April 1” (四月一日) and read as Watanuki.
It’s an unusual surname, but it has an origin that’s very fitting for April.
As it gets warmer in April, people used to switch from winter kimono padded with cotton to ones with the cotton removed.
Because the cotton (wata) was taken out (nuku) on April 1, the name became Watanuki.
Japan has many other rare surnames as well.
It might be fun to look for them together with older people.
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Besides salt, what seasoning, when sprinkled on a slug, would make it shrink? Slugs that appear on rainy days.
Everyone knows they shrivel up when you sprinkle salt on them.
In fact, there’s another seasoning that makes them shrink when sprinkled: sugar.
The mechanism is the same as with salt—water is drawn out of the slug’s body.
However, with sugar it’s said to take about six times longer to fully shrivel than with salt.
If you want to learn more, check out videos of actual experiments.
That said, it does feel a bit sad.
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