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!

You won’t learn this in school! A roundup of historical trivia and fun facts (21–30)

The portrait of Prince Shotoku commonly seen in textbooks is not actually Prince Shotoku.

Speaking of Prince Shōtoku, he is known as a figure who implemented innovative politics, such as the Seventeen-Article Constitution and the Twelve Level Cap and Rank System, and when it comes to his appearance, many people picture the portrait that was once featured on banknotes.

However, the historical existence of Prince Shōtoku is uncertain, and it has been suggested that the famous portrait may actually depict someone else.

Even when it was first included in textbooks, it was unclear whose portrait it was, and various theories have been proposed, such as that it might be an image of Emperor Tenmu.

Doesn’t this make you feel just how long Japan’s history is—so long that we can no longer be certain who was depicted, or in which era the portrait was created?

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The name “pyramid” comes from a type of bread called “pyramis.”

The pyramids, iconic structures symbolizing ancient Egypt, are shrouded in many mysteries—what lies within them and how they were built, for example.

Despite their strong, mystical image, it is said that their name derives from the word pyramis, meaning a type of bread.

In Greek, it referred to a triangular loaf, suggesting the name came from something familiar in shape.

It’s fascinating that something imbued with such profound mysteries is called by such a simple name.

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The Jomon people made something like cookies using Jomon pottery.

When we think of the Jomon period, we often picture the cord-marked pottery—after which the era is named—and the stone tools used for hunting.

While those pot-shaped vessels evoke a strong image of boiling and cooking, a variety of other dishes were prepared as well.

We know people ate nuts and used tools for grinding, so something like cookies can be considered a representative food of the Jomon period.

It’s said they used nuts such as acorns, and there are even theories that they added animal meat, suggesting a range of possible forms.

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Yoshida Kenkō once ghostwrote a love letter.

Do you know Yoshida Kenkō, the poet active from the Kamakura to the Nanbokuchō period? He’s also known by the name Urabe no Kenkō and, of course, as the author of Essays in Idleness.

It’s said that he was often asked by those around him to ghostwrite love letters, what we’d call love letters today.

Apparently, even the high official Kō no Moronao once requested his services, but the romance failed, and Yoshida Kenkō was unfairly scolded for it.

It makes you wonder what kind of love letters a literary master of his caliber composed, doesn’t it?

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yamamoto

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The first Japanese person to buy Louis Vuitton was Goto Shojiro.

As a brand that began by making trunks, Louis Vuitton was founded by the suitcase craftsman Louis Vuitton.

Today, everyone recognizes the bags and fashion goods with that iconic canvas pattern, and they’re hugely popular in Japan as well.

So who was the first Japanese person to own a Louis Vuitton product? It was Shojiro Goto, a samurai of the Tosa Domain.

Records show in the customer ledger that he purchased a trunk when he visited France with Taisuke Itagaki in 1883.

It’s astonishing that their customer management was so well organized even back then, isn’t it?

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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In conclusion

We introduced trivia and fun facts about history.

If you realize there are such interesting episodes behind what you learned in school, some of you might be thinking, “Maybe I’ll try studying a bit more history.” Both Japanese and world history are only touched upon in part at school.

By digging deeper into each question you have, you’ll discover new—and surprising—truths.