How many can you solve? Fascinating history trivia quizzes that spark intellectual curiosity

Elephant

In 1728, two elephants—a male and a female—were presented to Tokugawa Yoshimune, the eighth shogun of the Edo shogunate. Of the elephants that arrived in Nagasaki, the female died within a few months, but the male traveled overland from Nagasaki to Edo on foot. Along the way, it was granted audiences with Emperor Nakamikado and the Retired Emperor Reigen in Kyoto, and in Edo Castle it was also shown to Yoshimune himself. People of the time were enthralled by the appearance of this rare animal, and it is said that a major elephant-viewing craze swept the Edo period.

Sesshū

In 1956, when the World Peace Council selected Sesshū as one of the world’s ten great cultural figures, commemorative stamps bearing his portrait were issued in countries such as the Soviet Union and Romania. This is regarded as the first instance of a Japanese person appearing on a foreign postage stamp. As a preeminent ink-wash painter of the Muromachi period and a figure revered as a “sage of painting,” Sesshū’s artistic achievements were clearly recognized and highly valued internationally, transcending national borders.

mail carrier

The first people permitted to carry handguns in the Meiji era were postal carriers. At the time, many regions in Japan still had unstable public security, and postal carriers—who walked alone through mountainous areas and remote roads transporting cash and parcels—were constantly exposed to dangers such as robbers and wild dogs. Therefore, to protect their personal safety and the important mail they carried, postal carriers were allowed to carry handguns in 1873 (Meiji 6).

Akita (dog)

It is said that Helen Keller was deeply moved by the story of the faithful dog Hachiko and asked for an Akita of her own. The first Akita sent to her, named Kamikaze-go, sadly died young, but his brother, Kenzan-go, was sent to her again to console her. This episode is also said to have been the catalyst for the spread of Akitas in the United States.

Shizuoka tea

Eiichi Shibusawa strongly supported former shogunate retainers who, after the Meiji Restoration, relocated to Sunpu—present-day Shizuoka Prefecture—and pioneered tea cultivation on areas such as the Makinohara Plateau. By establishing a joint commercial firm in Shizuoka and other efforts, he worked to promote the tea industry and played a major role in expanding overseas exports of Shizuoka tea. This episode shows another side of the man known as the father of Japan’s modern capitalism: as an entrepreneur, he also focused on fostering regional industries.

Jōmon period

In Japan, it has been determined that dogs have lived alongside humans since the Jomon period. Numerous dog bones have been discovered at Jomon-period archaeological sites, carefully buried, suggesting that for the people of the time, dogs were not merely animals but were treated with great care as important hunting partners and members of the family.

Uesugi Kenshin

The warlord who inspired the phrase “sending salt to one’s enemy” was Uesugi Kenshin. When Takeda Shingen faced difficulties obtaining salt, Uesugi Kenshin sent him salt, saying that they were not fighting over necessities of daily life. This episode is the origin of the expression.