[For Seniors] Fun and Informative! Trivia and Quizzes Introduced

In the Edo period, what was bush warbler droppings used for?

The bush warbler, which sings beautifully with a “hoo-hokekyo,” had its droppings used for something in the Edo period.

The answer is cosmetics.

In Japan, they had long been used to remove stains from silk fabrics, but by the Edo period they were also used for beauty.

Dried and powdered bush warbler droppings were said to reduce fine wrinkles, refine skin texture, and contain skin-brightening enzymes—and are apparently still used today.

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hiyori

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Who was the first recipient of the People’s Honor Award?

A superstar everyone knows! Here’s a trivia tidbit: Who was the very first recipient of the People’s Honour Award? To start with, do you know what the People’s Honour Award is? It’s an award presented by the Prime Minister to individuals or organizations whose outstanding achievements have earned the admiration of the public and given society hope.

The first recipient was Sadaharu Oh.

As a legendary hitter in professional baseball, Sadaharu Oh is still beloved by the public.

With his unique one-legged batting stance, he captivated many fans and was a star who led Japanese baseball for many years.

How far does a hamster run in a day?

I think you often have chances to talk with older adults about the pets they keep at home.

Small hamsters are very popular as pets, aren’t they? They’re adorable, especially the way they move so energetically with their tiny bodies.

Although hamsters are small, they’re very active—they can run about 5 kilometers a day, like marathon runners.

If you spot a hamster running on its wheel in its cage, cheer it on! You might be surprised by how much exercise such a little hamster gets.

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mayumi

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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 something I vaguely think of as “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 the beginning of spring (Risshun) and the spring equinox.” In fact, this haru-ichiban is sometimes followed by what people call haru-niban, haru-sanban, and so on.

However, these aren’t official JMA terms; they’re more at the level of expressions used on news programs.

I mean, if someone said “haru-gojuuban (spring number 50),” you’d be like… really?

What foods won’t freeze even if you put them in a household freezer?

People who work with cooking or are interested in it might know this! Here’s a fun fact: What food won’t freeze even when you put it in a typical household freezer? When we think of a freezer, it’s a device for freezing foods and storing frozen items or ice, right? But it turns out there are things that won’t freeze even in a cold freezer.

The answer is miso.

That’s because miso contains a lot of components other than water, such as salt and sugars.

It’s also said that freezing miso helps prevent changes in its flavor and color.

What is ‘moshi moshi’ on the phone short for?

When answering the phone, we casually say “moshi moshi,” but what is it short for? The answer is “moushimasu, moushimasu” (“I speak, I speak”).

When telephones were introduced in Japan in 1890 (Meiji 23), calls were connected by telephone operators.

Many operators were women at the time, and they would say “moushimasu, moushimasu,” meaning “I’m about to speak,” which was shortened to “moshi moshi.” Incidentally, men would call out “oi, oi,” and the conversation would begin with responses like “hai, you gozansu” (“yes, very well”).

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hiyori

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Who is said to be the first person to have eaten “ramen” in Japan?

Ramen has now become a Japanese cuisine the world can be proud of.

Restaurants serving ramen have sprung up across the globe, sparking such a major movement that entire ramen streets have even appeared in bustling districts of China and Hong Kong.

But do you know who is said to be the first person in Japan to eat “ramen”? The answer is Tokugawa Mitsukuni, better known as Mito Kōmon.

Interested in Confucianism, Mitsukuni invited Zhu Shunsui—who had fled to Japan after the fall of the Ming dynasty and was staying in Nagasaki—to Edo and treated him to handmade udon.

In return, Zhu Shunsui is said to have served Mitsukuni a Chinese-style noodle dish.

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kojifumi

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