[For Seniors] Fun and Lively! Recommended Quiz Questions
How about quiz games like wordplay and riddles during recreation time at day service centers and other senior facilities? Puzzles that hide meanings in the arrangement, color, or orientation of letters, as well as riddles, are enjoyable brain teasers.
The answers often draw on familiar folk tales or everyday events, so seniors can experience that delightful “I get it!” moment of surprise and accomplishment when inspiration strikes.
The process of thinking stimulates the brain, and smiles and conversation naturally arise when the answer is revealed.
This time, we’ll introduce clever wordplay and riddle quizzes that are sure to get seniors excited and thinking, the kind that make you say, “Wow, that’s clever!”
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- [For Seniors] Recommended Trivia Quizzes & Fun Facts for November
Seasonal Events Quiz (11–20)
What is considered the proper way to extinguish candles at graves or on household Buddhist altars?
During Obon, when we welcome our ancestors, it’s common to light candles and incense at graves and household altars.
So how is it considered proper to extinguish those candles offered at graves or altars? The answer is “fan them out with your hand.” It’s considered inappropriate to blow on the sacred flame with one’s breath, which is regarded as impure.
Fanning by hand is the standard for balancing etiquette and convenience, but using a tool is also acceptable.
Since Obon is a time when we more often face graves and household altars, why not take this opportunity to reflect on the manners we should avoid?
What is the plant that is said to be essential for Obon and whose shape resembles a Bon lantern?
What is the plant said to be inseparable from Obon and whose shape resembles a Bon lantern? The answer is “hōzuki” (Chinese lantern plant).
Its distinctive look—fruit encased in a soft calyx—is quite striking.
The red or orange color of the calyx and fruit also evokes the light of a lantern, and their gentle hues can even feel a bit eerie.
Beyond being a symbol of Obon, it is also associated with traditional medicinal uses, and its unique colors and shape have long imparted a sense of mystery in historical accounts.
When did the Obon holiday become established?
Obon is an event for welcoming one’s ancestors, and during the Obon holiday we carry out various observances.
So when did the Obon holiday, which serves both as time off for these events and as a beloved summer vacation for adults, become an established custom? The answer is the Edo period.
It is said to have taken root alongside the Obon observances themselves.
The fact that the holiday period aligns with the series of Obon events conveys the historical weight of these traditions and the sentiments imbued within them.
Yamagata Prefecture is famous for its high production of cherries. There is also a cherry-themed competition in Yamagata Prefecture—what kind of competition is it?
Cherries are a fruit that represents Yamagata Prefecture, and various events are held to promote them.
Among these events, let’s think about those held in a tournament format.
The hint is an action that might seem ill-mannered and is strongly associated with children.
The answer is a cherry pit-spitting contest.
Since it’s a competition conducted under proper rules, it might be interesting to learn about the tournament’s overview as well.
What color are the lanterns used during the first Obon (shinbon)?
Shinbon (the first Bon) refers to the first Obon observed after a person has passed away.
More precisely, it is the first Obon that comes after the forty-ninth day memorial period has ended, and the name varies by region—such as “shinbon” or “arabon.” During the first Obon only, a white lantern called “hakumonten” is displayed.
The reason is to serve as a marker so that the spirit of the deceased, returning for the first time, does not lose its way.
Some older adults may already know this, but since it’s very informative, why not turn it into a quiz to help people feel the season?
Japanese Geography & Prefecture Quiz (1–10)
Prefecture QuizNEW!
Who am I—someone who can think hard and still get everyone around me excited? This quiz’s theme is Japan’s prefectures.
You’ll be given three hints, and your task is to name the prefecture common to all three.
There are eight questions in total.
It’s bound to be lively if a prefecture where someone was born and raised or has visited on a trip comes up.
You might hear fun stories about local specialties, sightseeing spots, or personal memories.
It’s a flexible quiz that can be enjoyed either as an individual match or a team competition.
There are four prefecture names that contain the names of animals. Which ones are they?
This is a simple quiz where you think of prefecture names that include animal names.
You probably know all of these places, so the key is how quickly the prefecture names come to mind.
If you go through them in order, you should be able to arrive at some of them, but if you get stuck, use each area as a hint.
The answers are Gunma, Tottori, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima.
It could be fun to reminisce about your memories of each place as well.
What is the name of the longest river in Japan that flows across Nagano and Niigata Prefectures?
The longest river in Japan is the Shinano River.
It flows across Nagano and Niigata Prefectures; in Nagano it’s called the Chikuma River, and at the border with Niigata it changes its name to the Shinano River.
There are various theories about the origin of the name Chikuma, but it’s said to come from the fact that, as the name suggests, there are sections where the river bends a lot.
By the way, the longest river in Japan, the Shinano River, is 367 kilometers long, and the second longest, the Tone River, is 322 kilometers.
The length of the Shinano River is about the same as the distance from Tokyo Station to Nagoya Station.
Trivia like this could be used in quizzes with seniors to help broaden everyone’s knowledge.
Guess the prefecture from the photo quizNEW!
This is a “Who am I?” quiz where you answer which prefecture the featured tourist attraction is in.
Quizzes that derive answers from three hints are a classic, but a quiz based on photos feels fresh, and it would likely be a hit even at senior care facilities where I regularly incorporate “Who am I?” quizzes into recreation.
Display photos of tourist attractions on a screen or flip cards.
Let participants think about which prefecture each attraction belongs to.
It’s the kind of quiz that could also spark lively conversations about nostalgic travel memories.
Which prefecture has the most Shinto shrines in Japan and is famous for hegi soba, a type of soba made with seaweed?
The prefecture with the most Shinto shrines in Japan is Niigata.
During the Meiji era, Niigata had the largest population in Japan: while Tokyo had 1.3 million people, Niigata Prefecture had about 1.6 million.
Reasons cited include its status as one of Japan’s leading rice-producing regions, which concentrated agricultural workers there, and the presence of port calls where ships stopped during voyages—both factors that contributed to a large population.
As the population grew, the number of shrines also increased.
There are, however, various other theories about why there are so many shrines.
Hegisoba is characterized by the use of seaweed as a binding agent.
It’s a familiar type of soba for Niigata residents, with Ojiya City and Tokamachi City serving as its two major meccas.