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

“Nimaime” is a term originating from Kabuki that refers to a gentle, handsome man. What kind of role does “Gomaime” refer to?

Have you ever heard the term “nimaime” actor? It actually comes from kabuki and refers to a seductive or handsome actor.

Here’s a question: what kind of actor does “gomaime” refer to? The correct answer is the protagonist’s rival.

By the way, “ichimaime” is the protagonist, “sanmaime” is the comic relief, and “yonmaime” is a mid-ranking actor.

And furthermore, “rokumaime” is the likable antagonist, while “nanamaime” is the mastermind who commits misdeeds.

It might be fun to think about who’s which ‘-maime’ when you watch dramas or movies.

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yamamoto

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What kind of hospitals are there more of than convenience stores?

Convenience stores are everywhere and handy—you probably have one in your neighborhood.

That aside, did you know there’s a type of clinic said to outnumber even convenience stores? The answer is dental clinics.

Their numbers have been increasing year by year, now totaling over 69,000.

For reference, there are about 55,000 convenience stores, which means there are over 10,000 more dental clinics.

Whether that’s true or not, try comparing the number of dental clinics and convenience stores in your area.

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yamamoto

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When do we see dreams while sleeping, and in what state is the body at that time?

People can have all kinds of dreams while sleeping—whether realistic or fantastical—like dreams of meeting someone you love or being chased by a scary ghost.

What kinds of dreams might older adults have had over the years? Still, there are times when you clearly feel you’ve had a dream, and other times when you feel you didn’t dream at all.

So, when is it that we have dreams? The answer is: when our sleep is light.

That said, it seems that everyone dreams regardless of sleep depth.

It’s just that during deep sleep, the content of dreams can be less striking, so we may feel as though we didn’t dream.

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SAKI

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What were the unruly and immoral youths—said to be named after Shintaro Ishihara’s novel—called?

Shintaro Ishihara, who thrived not only as an actor and writer but also as a politician, coined a term through his novel that became widely popular.

What was the group called that referred to young people who were unruly and immoral? The hint is that the term comes from Ishihara’s novel Season of the Sun.

The answer is the “Sun Tribe.” From the outside, it was used to describe a delinquent group, while for those involved, it expressed a belief in not being bound by the existing order.

It’s an episode that shows just how influential Shintaro Ishihara was.

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kappamaki

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Trivia Quiz: Japan’s Three Great ___ — What’s the last one?

[Trivia Quiz] Japan’s Three Great ○○ — What’s the third one? (10 questions)

There’s a joke that goes like this: whenever people talk about Japan’s three great hot spring resorts, they’ll say, “Kusatsu Onsen, Beppu Onsen, and [Name of their own local onsen],” always slipping in the name of their hometown for the third one.

It’s probably more common than you’d think.

So, let’s try a “Japan’s Three Great ___—what’s the last one?” quiz.

For example: “Japan’s three great rivers are the Tone River, the Ishikari River, and what’s the third?” or “When we say Japan’s Three Most Scenic Views, there’s Matsushima, Miyajima, and what’s the other one?” There are plenty of questions that will have you thinking, “It’s on the tip of my tongue…,” which makes them delightfully frustrating.

Highly recommended for travel lovers!

What does the “punch” in a punch perm refer to?

This may seem sudden, but what exactly does the “punch” in “punch perm” mean? The answer is: it’s the name of a magazine called Heibon Punch.

The punch perm, a short hairstyle with tight, firm curls, was devised by a barber in Kitakyushu in the 1970s.

A barber-supply company in the Kansai region then named it “punch perm,” borrowing the name from the hugely popular magazine Heibon Punch at the time.

With its intimidating look and the fact that it doesn’t lose shape easily even in a fight, the punch perm became especially popular among tough-looking types.

Fittingly, its origin story packs a punch too!

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hiyori

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In what language is the word “pom-pom,” which is used for cheering?

What language is the origin of the word “pom-pom,” used as a cheering item at events like sports days? The answer is French; it is said to derive from “pompon,” meaning a tuft with a rounded end.

Invented as a cheering accessory in the 1930s, pom-poms were made of paper at the time and couldn’t be used in bad weather—details that convey the history they’ve accumulated.

By learning that history properly, we may grow more attached to the everyday items used at events.

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kappamaki

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