How many can you solve? Fun trivia quiz about history
Are you good at history?
We’ve put together a collection of fun history trivia quizzes that both history buffs and those who find it a bit challenging can enjoy!
Since it’s trivia, the questions focus on the little details that accompany historical events rather than what you learned in history class.
By taking these quizzes, you can learn about the history of Japan and the world from a different perspective.
Some questions have surprising and amusing answers that will make you say, “I had no idea!”—so even if you’re not a fan of history, you might start to like it a bit more.
Give it a try with your family and friends!
- [History Quiz] General History Questions You Should Know
- Let’s take on the challenge! A multiple-choice history quiz for elementary school students. Review your history lessons.
- [Study] Fun to Know! A Collection of World History Trivia Quizzes
- Not taught in school! A roundup of historical trivia and fun facts
- [Challenging] General Knowledge Quiz Compilation: Difficult and Interesting Multiple-Choice Questions (3 Options)
- A quiz of fun trivia: bite-sized knowledge that leads to new insights.
- [General] Surprisingly unknown? Test your geography skills with a three-choice quiz on Japan’s prefectures
- Quiz for junior high school students
- [Interesting] Compilation of Trivia Quiz Questions
- Genius if you can solve it? Super-difficult Quiz Collection
- A fun quiz you can use to kill time by yourself or with everyone
- [For Seniors] Nostalgic quizzes that bring back memories! Showa-era entertainment and sports questions
- [Enjoyable History Quiz] Easy multiple-choice (3 options) quiz that’s accessible for seniors!
How many can you solve? Fascinating History Trivia Quiz (11–20)
From which historical period did the unit “yen” start to be used?
- Heian period
- Edo period
- Meiji era
See the answer
Meiji era
The unit “yen” was introduced by the New Currency Act during the Meiji era. As a result, the yen came to be used as a unified and new currency unit within Japan. Before that, units such as ryō, bu, and mon were used, but from this ordinance onward, yen, rin, and sen came into use.
During Japan’s isolation in the Edo period, why was only the Netherlands allowed to trade?
- Because they promised not to engage in Christian missionary activities.
- Because you understood Japanese Bushido
- Because it was an important military ally of the Edo shogunate
See the answer
Because they promised not to engage in Christian missionary activities.
One of the main reasons for the isolation policy was the desire to exclude Christianity, as the Christian system did not align with the shogunate’s institutions. However, the Dutch prioritized commercial interests and promised not to conduct Christian missionary activities in Japan, which allowed them to trade.
What would you call a hairstyle like Francis Xavier’s?
- shroud
- tonsure
- Julian
See the answer
tonsure
Tonsure is a hairstyle once worn by those who had become clergy in the Catholic Church. There were forms such as shaving all the hair from the crown to the back of the head, shaving from ear to ear across the back of the head, or shaving all the hair entirely. This practice was abolished in 1972.
What did Oda Nobunaga call Toyotomi Hideyoshi?NEW!
- dog
- cat
- Monkey
- pheasant
See the answer
Monkey
The story that Oda Nobunaga called Toyotomi Hideyoshi “monkey” is very famous. It’s also known that in a letter Nobunaga sent to Hideyoshi’s wife, he referred to Hideyoshi as a “bald rat.” It’s said he gave him these nicknames because his appearance and movements resembled those animals, but it may also suggest that to Nobunaga, Hideyoshi was a familiar and dependable retainer.
What appeal did Japan make when Perry’s Black Ships arrived?
- I held a tea party.
- Made the sumo wrestler work
- We held a fireworks festival.
See the answer
Made the sumo wrestler work
When Perry arrived in Japan, the Japanese side tried to show their strength by having sumo wrestlers carry sacks of rice, among other displays. It is also said that they wrestled people on the ships and won decisively. The Americans reportedly could not hide their astonishment at these scenes.