[For Seniors] Nostalgic quizzes that bring back memories! Showa-era entertainment and sports questions

Around 1955 (Showa 30), what were the cafes in Japanese urban areas—where everyone sang together—called?

Songs that have always been close to people’s hearts are loved in various ways depending on the era.

Before karaoke boxes appeared, what were the cafes called—popular around the mid-1950s and spreading mainly in Japanese cities—where everyone would sing together? The name clearly evokes the scene of people layering their voices along with various instruments.

The answer is “utagoe kissa” (singing voice cafes).

It is said that as people layered their voices, a sense of solidarity grew, which had a significant impact on student and labor movements.

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In the Showa era, what were the actions that were not allowed during club activities?

As times change, the environment gradually changes too, and things that people once could endure have come to carry potential life-threatening risks.

In light of that shift in times and conditions, what is something that used to be prohibited in school clubs during the Showa era? It was a standard custom especially in sports clubs, banned with the idea of building tenacity and grit toward the sport.

The answer is drinking water.

Today, because summer heat is so severe and poses a risk to life, drinking water is now recommended in most cases.

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What was the makeshift fix people used in the Showa era when the TV stopped displaying a picture?

Home appliances have gradually evolved over time, and televisions—an essential part of daily life—have improved in picture quality and size.

So when a TV stopped working back in the Showa era, what common fixes did people try? Although it’s a custom you don’t see much anymore, some people might still do it out of habit.

The answer is: hitting the TV.

The idea was to fix a bad connection by giving it a jolt.

But since modern TVs have finer components, there’s a higher risk of damage, so you should be careful if you try it.

Some people even perfected the angle and way to tap it to restore the picture more reliably.

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The Showa-era phrase “Atama ga 〇〇 ni naru” means “I have so much to think about that my brain won’t work.” What sea creature goes in the 〇〇?

The word that meant “a state where you have so much to think about that your brain won’t work,” which was popular around 1983 (Showa 58), is “Atama ga uni ni naru” (my head turns into sea urchin)! It’s a metaphor comparing a confused, jumbled mental state to soft sea urchin that collapses easily when pressure is applied.

You hardly hear it nowadays, and on the internet it’s called something like “a really nostalgic expression.” Indeed, cracking open a sea urchin does somehow evoke the inside of a human brain… There are plenty of other Showa-era buzzwords that aren’t used anymore, too! Just those alone could make for a solid Showa quiz.

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What was an icebox used for?

With advances in technology, household furniture evolved, and items once commonly used gradually disappeared.

Among those that vanished, in what situations was the so-called “icebox” used? A big hint is that it began to fade away in the late 1950s (Showa 30s), when the so-called “three sacred treasures” of home appliances became widespread.

The answer is: it was used to keep food cold.

Until the electric refrigerator—one of those three sacred treasures—became common, this piece of furniture, known as an ice refrigerator or icebox, supported people’s daily lives.

It’s also interesting that, even without electricity, it incorporated various ingenious features to make food last longer.

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