February trivia quiz: three-choice questions on seasonal fun facts like Setsubun and Valentine’s Day

Sapporo Snow Festival

The Sapporo Snow Festival is a famous winter event held in early February each year in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Numerous large sculptures and artworks made of snow and ice are displayed, attracting many visitors from both Japan and abroad. Known worldwide, the festival offers a way to enjoy the winter cold and a venue to appreciate the art of snow and ice.

Soseki Natsume

Natsume Soseki is one of Japan’s most renowned literary masters, known for major works such as “I Am a Cat” and “Botchan.” February 21 has been designated “Soseki Day,” originating from the fact that Soseki declined the Doctor of Literature degree that the Ministry of Education intended to confer on him.

diamond dust

Angel Whisper Day is a commemorative day established to mark the observation of Japan’s lowest recorded temperature in Moshiri, Horokanai, Hokkaido. “Angel’s whisper” refers to diamond dust. When the temperature drops below minus 20 degrees Celsius, the water vapor in the air freezes, and you can see diamond dust—tiny ice crystals glittering in the air.

Shigeru Yoshida

"Bakayarō Day" originates from an incident on February 28, 1953, during a session of the House of Representatives Budget Committee, when Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida called Representative Eiichi Nishimura a "bakayarō" ("you idiot"). This remark also became a trigger for dissolving the House of Representatives.

Nagano Prefecture

On February 7, 1998, the Winter Olympics opened in Nagano Prefecture. As one of the guiding principles of these Games was coexistence with nature, and with the hope that people would reflect on Nagano’s natural environment, the opening day of the Olympics was designated as “Olympic Memorial Day.”

Broccoli

The reason broccoli is called the king of vegetables is its abundance of nutrients. It’s rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, protein, calcium, and iron. It also contains antioxidant vitamins, helping to prevent many diseases, including cancer, and boosting the immune system.

Rose

In Japan, Valentine’s Day is generally seen as a day when women give chocolate to men, but in Thailand it’s common for men to give roses to the woman they truly care about. In Thailand, Valentine’s Day is considered more important than Christmas, and many couples even file their marriage registration on this day.

gummy (candy)

When it comes to Valentine’s gifts, chocolate is the classic choice, but people sometimes give cookies or candy as well. However, each type of sweet given on Valentine’s Day carries its own meaning, and there are some you should be careful with if you want to express affection. At the top of that list is gummy candy. Gummy candy can carry the meaning “I don’t like you.”

naked

When it comes to famous festivals in Okayama Prefecture, there’s the Kanayama-ji Eyo. It’s also known as the Naked Festival, where participants compete to seize a sacred wooden talisman. Whoever gets hold of it earns the title of “Lucky Man.” Although it’s called the Naked Festival, being completely nude would be a problem, of course. Rest assured, participants properly wear mawashi loincloths and tabi socks.

Because cutting (it) would sever the ties/relationship.

When Setsubun comes around, there is a custom of checking the year’s lucky direction and eating an Ehomaki without cutting it. The reason for not cutting the Ehomaki is to wish that good fortune won’t escape and ties won’t be severed. There are various theories, but it’s said to have started with merchants in the Edo period eating thick sushi rolls on Setsubun to pray for prosperous business.