[For Elementary School Students] Trivia About April

A dandelion has five petals.

The cute yellow flowers of the dandelion.

Seeing dandelions makes you feel the arrival of spring, doesn’t it? Although dandelions—one of the flowers that symbolize spring—look like they have many petals, that’s not actually the case.

What looks like a single dandelion is in fact made up of hundreds of tiny flowers clustered together.

Each part that looks like a yellow petal is actually an individual flower.

If you look closely at the small yellow flowers, you’ll notice four notches at the tip, which means each flower has five petals.

It could be fun to closely observe dandelions blooming in places like the schoolyard and investigate this for yourself.

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The difference between regular onions and new onions is the time from harvest to shipping.

In spring, you often see new onions on the table.

With their thin skins, juicy texture, sweetness, and mild pungency, they’re frequently served in salads.

But did you know that regular brown-skinned onions and new onions are actually the same variety? Onions are typically harvested twice a year, in spring and autumn.

Regular onions are dried in the air for about a month after harvest, which makes them less prone to spoilage and longer-lasting—hence you can buy them at supermarkets year-round.

New onions, on the other hand, are harvested around March to April and shipped without drying.

Since new onions are only available for a limited time, be sure to enjoy them in spring.

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Sakuramochi differs between Kanto and Kansai.

Sakura mochi is often enjoyed in spring, but did you know it varies by region? In the Kanto area, it’s made by wrapping sweet bean paste in a crepe-like wheat flour skin dyed cherry-blossom pink, while in Kansai and Hokkaido, the bean paste is wrapped in coarsely crushed pink glutinous rice.

The appearance and ingredients differ so much that they almost seem like different sweets.

In the Edo period, a man named Yamamoto Shinroku created Chomeiji sakura mochi, which became a hit when sold during cherry-blossom viewing along the Sumida River.

It later spread from Kanto to Kansai.

In Kansai, they adapted the Kanto version by changing the ingredients and making sakura mochi with domyoji flour, whose main ingredient is glutinous rice.

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There are research findings showing that firstborn children are more likely to develop hay fever than second- or third-born children.

Many people suffer from hay fever in spring.

Did you know it’s actually linked to birth order? Compared with firstborns, children born second or third are less likely to develop hay fever.

This is thought to be because they build resistance by catching infections from their older siblings.

In other words, if you have an older brother or sister, you’re less prone to hay fever.

That said, it doesn’t mean you can’t get it—so if you suspect you might have it, consult a trusted adult.

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April 4 is Anpan Day because anpan was presented to Emperor Meiji on that date.

Anpan is bread filled with sweet red bean paste.

It’s usually round, and sometimes the top is sprinkled with poppy seeds or sesame seeds.

Do you know about Anpan Day? April 4th is said to be Anpan Day because that’s the day anpan was presented to the Meiji Emperor.

The origin goes back to when Their Majesties the Emperor Meiji and Empress went to Mito for cherry-blossom viewing, and anpan was offered as a tea sweet.

It’s said that that anpan had salted cherry blossoms on top.

What a lovely, springlike topping.

The full moon seen in April is called the ‘Pink Moon.’

The full moon is the moon that appears round as it reflects the sun’s light.

The full moon seen in April is said to be called the “Pink Moon.” In English-speaking countries, full moons have various names, and the one seen in April is called the “Pink Moon.” Why is it called the “Pink Moon”? It is said to originate from the beautiful, vivid pink flowers that bloom around April.

When it comes to beautiful pink flowers, many Japanese people probably think of cherry blossoms.

Try sharing this fun fact on the day of the full moon in April!

April Fools’ Day is also known as ‘April Fool’ in Japanese (literally ‘April fool’).

Speaking of April, April 1 is April Fools’ Day, when humor flies around.

Did you know that April Fools’ Day is also known as “Shigatsu Baka” (literally, “April Fool”) in Japanese? In fact, when this custom took root in Japan around the Taisho era, it spread under the name “Shigatsu Baka.” It’s thought that reports on TV news about how it’s observed in Europe and the U.S.

helped popularize the term “April Fools’ Day.” In recent years, a common rule has been to tell harmless jokes in the morning—within a laughable, forgivable range—and reveal the truth in the afternoon.