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

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.
Care Worker Initial Training Certification ObtainedNakajima Junko
Leveraging my experience working as a care worker at a day service, I am currently active as a writer in the caregiving and welfare fields. Beyond writing, I hope to expand my work into web design and illustration. I am a mother of three who has begun studying to become a certified social worker.

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!

[For Seniors] Fun and Informative! Introducing Trivia and Quizzes (21–30)

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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What was the first commercially sold frozen food in Japan?

Frozen foods are commonplace now, but in the past, many households didn’t eat them at home because freezers weren’t widely available.

Do you know what the first commercially sold frozen food in Japan was? It was frozen strawberries, sold at Hankyu Department Store in Osaka.

At the time, many ordinary households did not have freezers, so frozen foods were often handled by businesses and institutions.

As freezers gradually became more common, frozen foods spread to regular households and began to be used more widely.

Frozen foods used to be rare and valuable, didn’t they!

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mayumi

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Under what kind of trees do matsutake mushrooms grow?

A beloved luxury ingredient! Here’s a fun fact: Under what kind of tree do matsutake mushrooms grow? Speaking of matsutake, they’re known as a quintessential flavor of autumn.

Because their harvest is limited, many people recognize them as a high-end ingredient.

Do you know which tree they grow under? The answer is the Japanese red pine (Akamatsu).

Matsutake settle on the roots of the red pine, forming a symbiotic structure called a mycorrhiza, through which they grow.

It’s the kind of trivia that makes you crave those wonderfully aromatic matsutake mushrooms.

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What are the buttons on the sleeves of school uniforms and suits for?

The buttons on the sleeves of jackets, like those on school uniforms and suits, may seem to serve little purpose—but why are they there? The answer is: to keep people from wiping their noses on their sleeves.

One theory says it began during Napoleon’s Russian campaign, when, unable to bear the sight of soldiers shivering in the cold and wiping their noses on their uniform sleeves, buttons were added.

There are also theories that they were meant to make it easier to open the cuffs and roll up the sleeves, or that they serve a purely decorative purpose.

In any case, it’s fun to ponder the history behind them.

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hiyori

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What is the carbonated soft drink that isn’t famous in other prefectures but is hugely popular in Hokkaido?

Hokkaido is famous for seafood and ramen, but there’s another well-known drink from the region I’d like to introduce.

Have you heard of the carbonated soda called Guarana, which is hugely popular in Hokkaido? It started being sold around the mid-1950s, and while it resembles cider or cola, its unique flavor is addictive, making it a very popular beverage in Hokkaido.

Since it’s been around for a long time, many older people may find it nostalgic.

If you love Hokkaido or know someone from there, be sure to ask about a drink called Guarana.

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mayumi

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All western lowland gorillas have the same blood type. Which type is it?

Including animal topics in conversations with older adults is highly recommended.

Talking about animals and blood types can be a real hit.

Did you know that all wild western lowland gorillas share the same blood type? It’s said that they are almost all type B.

Males are reported to weigh between 140 kg and 180 kg, and females around 100 kg.

Although they look like powerful animals, they are gentle and love vegetables and fruits.

Depending on the location, you might be able to see them at a zoo.

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mayumi

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Who is the only Japanese deity among the Seven Lucky Gods?

The Seven Lucky Gods are revered as deities of fortune.

They are a collective term for seven gods: Ebisu, Daikokuten, Fukurokuju, Bishamonten, Hotei, Jurōjin, and Benzaiten.

But which one is the only Japanese god among them? The answer is Ebisu.

Worshiped as the god of fishing, prosperous business, and bountiful harvests, Ebisu is said to be the third child of the deities Izanami and Izanagi.

Incidentally, Daikokuten and Benzaiten have roots in Hinduism; Bishamonten comes from ancient India; and Fukurokuju, Jurōjin, and Hotei are of Chinese origin—surprisingly global, isn’t it?

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hiyori

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