Not taught in school! A roundup of historical trivia and fun facts

Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.
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!”

History that everyone studied in school.

Some people aren’t good at it, while others feel a sense of romance in a worldview completely different from today’s.

Most of what we learn in school focuses on major historical events, and it’s common not to touch on the small episodes around them.

So in this article, we’ll introduce trivia and fun facts about history that you wouldn’t cover in class.

We’ve focused on the surprising anecdotes of great figures and incidents that happened behind historical events—the interesting side of history you can’t learn in lessons.

Whether you love history or not, be sure to check it out!

Not taught in school! A roundup of historical trivia and fun facts (1–10)

The Wizard of Invention, Edison, proposed in Morse code.

Thomas Edison is known for many innovative inventions, but there’s an anecdote that shows he had a unique talent in romance as well.

Remarkably, he proposed using Morse code, a system he helped develop.

The recipient was Mina Miller, an assistant he had hired who was well-versed in Morse code.

Edison took her hand and tapped out the message “Will you marry me?” on her palm.

She, in turn, replied “Yes” in Morse.

Perhaps great figures in history feel more compelling not only because of their achievements, but also because stories like these reveal their human side.

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There was a job in the Edo period where someone would take the blame for a fart.

Farting in front of others is embarrassing, yet holding it in is bad for your health—a dilemma everyone has suffered.

In the Edo period, there was a profession called “heobikuni,” who sympathized with such flatulence troubles.

While attending to the needs of high-born individuals, they would immediately claim, faster than anyone else, that they themselves had farted whenever a noble accidentally did so in public, acting as a scapegoat.

The very fact that this was a job shows just how shameful farting was considered at the time.

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Einstein used his Nobel Prize money as alimony.

Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.

Surprisingly, the prize money wasn’t used for scientific research but served as alimony for his divorce.

During negotiations with his wife, Mileva Marić, he promised to give her the entire sum should he win a Nobel Prize in the future.

When that promise became reality, the prize money was paid out to support her and their children.

It’s astonishing to find such a deeply human story behind the achievements of a genius physicist.

Knowing these behind-the-scenes episodes—not just the grand moments on the stage of history—makes great figures feel more relatable.

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The shortest war in history ended in just 40 minutes.

When we think of war, we often imagine something that lasts for months or years—but that wasn’t always the case! The Anglo-Zanzibar War, considered the shortest war in history, is said to have ended in just 40 minutes.

In 1896, this clash between Britain and the small East African nation of Zanzibar came to a swift conclusion thanks to Britain’s overwhelming military power.

At school we often learn history through timelines, but trivia like this can be a great way to make history feel more relatable—and more fun.

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Japan’s flag became the Hinomaru as a result of the Genpei War.

When it comes to Japan’s national flag, the Hinomaru comes to mind.

However, few people know its origins.

Going back to the Heian period during the Genpei War: the Taira clan fought under a red flag with a golden circle, while the Minamoto clan used a white flag with a red circle.

After the Minamoto won, they paraded through the land with the Hinomaru as proof of their rule over Japan.

This tradition was passed down and the flag is still used as the national flag today.

If the Taira had won, the design of the flag might have been different.

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