[For Seniors] Summer-Themed Trivia Quiz & Fun Facts Collection

The longest day of the year

The summer solstice is the day when the sun rises to its highest point of the year, making the daytime the longest and the nighttime the shortest. In Japan, it falls around June 21, and the exact date varies from year to year.

cucumber

Seirei-uma are mainly made from cucumbers and eggplants. Cucumbers are likened to horses, and eggplants to cows. The cucumber spirit horse carries the wish for ancestors to return quickly, while the eggplant spirit cow expresses the hope that they will take their time going back.

Because females need nutrients to produce eggs.

Female mosquitoes need nutrients such as proteins to lay eggs. Therefore, during the egg-laying period, they obtain nutrients by sucking the blood of humans and animals. In contrast, male mosquitoes primarily feed on sugars from flower nectar and fruit.

Differences in thickness

Because somen and hiyamugi look similar, it’s hard to tell them apart, isn’t it? Their main difference is the thickness of the noodles. Under Japanese standards, somen are less than 1.3 mm in diameter, while hiyamugi are 1.3 mm or more and less than 1.7 mm. The ingredients and preparation are mostly the same.

Mountain Day

August 11 is “Mountain Day” every year. It’s a new public holiday enacted in 2016, designated as a day to become familiar with mountains and to appreciate their blessings. It’s said that August 11 was chosen because it’s easy to combine with the Obon holidays.

Prickly pear

Dragon fruit is the fruit of a cactus plant. In tropical America, cacti are collectively called “pitaya.” Among them, the ones with scaly-looking peels are dragon fruit. Native to Mexico and Central and South America, it has white or red flesh with distinctive black seeds. In recent years, it has become a popular summer food in Japan.

Ayu

Ayu is a river fish that represents summer and is also called “kōgyo,” or “fragrant fish.” It’s said to have gotten this name because its distinctive aroma resembles that of watermelon. The scent is believed to come from the algae that ayu eat off rocks and other surfaces.