Let's take on a four-choice quiz that everyone can enjoy together!

Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

“What’s the official name for a train?” “What language is the word ‘coupon’ from?” and more…

We’ll introduce trivia about culture and everyday life—things you think you know but actually might not—in a four-choice quiz format! You can have fun learning interesting facts about Japan and the world with your family and friends.

With answers that will make you say, “Wow!”, it’s sure to get everyone excited! Let’s uncover the secrets behind the things we use and see every day by solving quizzes.

So, how many questions can you answer?

Food and Cooking Trivia (1–10)

What does the “la” in la-yu (chili oil) mean?

spicy
red
fragrant and toasty
hot

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spicy

“Ra” carries the meaning of being so spicy that it comes with heat.

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Which of the following is not a Japanese vegetable name?

lotus root
Okra
daikon
green onion

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Okra

Okra is not a Japanese word; it is an English word. In Japan, it also has an alternative name written as 陸蓮根 and read as 'okarenkon.'

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What is the etymology of chocolate?

Melting Stone
hard mud
sweet soil
bitter water

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bitter water

When you think of chocolate, you picture a sweet treat, right? So why does its etymology mean “bitter water”? The reason is that in the past, chocolate wasn’t solid like it is today but liquid, and it was consumed not as a confection but as a medicine.

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sasashina

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Which of these vegetables will float in water?

pumpkin
potato
carrot
lotus root

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pumpkin

Observing whether vegetables float or sink in water is a common experiment for children’s independent research. If you’ve done it before, you might have answered right away. Pumpkins may look heavy, but compared to an equal volume of water, a pumpkin is actually lighter.

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sasashina

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The reason onigiri are triangular comes from a certain deity. Which deity is it?

Heavenly God
Forest god
Rock god
Mountain God

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Mountain God

There is also a barrel-shaped form of onigiri, but most people still picture it as triangular. So why are onigiri triangular? People in the past believed that gods dwelled in the mountains and that they possessed various powers. By shaping and eating rice balls to resemble the triangular shape of mountains, they hoped to receive the gods’ power.

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sasashina

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