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

Easy to hold

The reason pencils are hexagonal is that they’re easy to hold. Another advantage is that they don’t roll easily. As for why they aren’t pentagonal or octagonal, we hold pencils with three fingers, right? So it’s said that a hexagon, being a multiple of three, is ideal.

so as not to wipe my nose

The origin of suit sleeve buttons is said to go back to Napoleon, who is known as a French hero. When France invaded Russia, it is said that the soldiers, suffering from the extreme cold, wiped their runny noses with their jacket sleeves. Since the sleeves of soldiers on the march became crusted with mucus, a leading theory holds that metal buttons were added to the sleeves to prevent them from wiping their noses on them.

fart

It is said that during the Edo period there was a profession called heoi-bikuni—women who would take the blame for someone else’s fart. It was a unique custom characteristic of an era that placed great importance on etiquette. Although farting has always been considered embarrassing, these women were so necessary that the role existed as a legitimate job.

118

The number to call when an accident or incident occurs at sea is 118. This is the Japan Coast Guard’s emergency number, introduced in 2000. Often called the “110 of the sea,” it is used for situations requiring a swift response, such as sightings of suspicious vessels or when lifesaving assistance is needed. This number was established to protect safety at sea, and remembering it can be helpful in an emergency.

motorized passenger car

It’s surprising to learn that trains have an official name, isn’t it? Passenger cars that run by powering electric motors are called “densha” (electric trains), so it makes sense that their formal name is “electric multiple unit (EMU).” Although electric locomotives also run on electricity, they don’t carry passengers, so they aren’t called trains (densha).