[For Elementary School Students] Trivia About April
When April comes around, the new school year begins, flowers like cherry blossoms and dandelions bloom, and seasonal ingredients become more plentiful—you can really feel spring in full swing, can’t you?
In this article, we’ll introduce lots of fun trivia related to April!
We’ve especially gathered topics that will be familiar to elementary school students, so please enjoy reading along.
If you come across trivia you didn’t know before, be sure to remember it and show it off to your friends and family!
Now then, let’s dive right in and see what kinds of trivia there are!
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[For Elementary School Students] Trivia About April (21–30)
The name of the April 29 holiday has changed multiple times.
National holidays are usually shown in red on calendars, and schools and other institutions are often closed.
One such holiday is April 29.
Did you know its name has changed several times? Until 1948 it was called “Tenchōsetsu” (the Emperor’s Birthday Festival).
From 1949 to 1988 it was “Emperor’s Birthday.” It then became “Greenery Day” from 1989 to 2006, and since 2007 it has been called “Shōwa Day.” “Shōwa Day” is said to embody the hope that we will not forget the Shōwa era, which saw Japan’s recovery after the war, and that we will carry that spirit forward to a peaceful future.
The model for the children’s song ‘Spring Brook’ is said to be Tokyo’s Kotsubogawa (Kobune River).
“Spring Stream,” one of the Ministry of Education songs—a collection compiled by the former Ministry of Education (now the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) from the Meiji to the Showa era—is a children’s song known for its lyrics that vividly evoke the scenes of spring.
The model for the song is said to be the Kabbokugawa (Kabonogawa) in Tokyo.
The Kabbokugawa flowed through Yoyogi in Shibuya Ward, and because Tatsuyuki Takano, who wrote the lyrics to “Spring Stream,” lived in the area at the time, it is believed that this stream served as the inspiration.
It’s a perfect children’s song for the spring season.
Be sure to share it with your friends along with this fun tidbit!
[For Elementary School Students] Trivia Related to April (31–40)
The diamond, the birthstone of April, is also known as the adamant (or diamond) in Japanese.
April’s birthstone is diamond, right? By the way, do you know what language the word “diamond” comes from? Its origin is actually the Greek word “adamas,” meaning “the unconquerable” or “strongest of all.” That makes you wonder how we express it in Japanese, doesn’t it? In Japanese, the traditional name for diamond is “kongōseki,” which conveys the idea of being the hardest among metals.
It’s interesting that both names have similar meanings yet sound completely different.
Incidentally, while diamonds are resistant to scratching, they are considered relatively easy to cleave.
There is a surname spelled ‘April 1st’.
If you see the characters “四月一日,” how would you read them? Most people would read them as “April 1” and assume it’s a date.
However, it’s actually also a surname.
It’s read as “Watanuki.” Long ago, people would stuff their clothing with cotton during the cold season, and they would typically remove the cotton around April 1.
それが「綿貫（わたぬき）」という読みの由来だと言われており、文字どおり「綿を抜く」という意味です。ちなみに、「四月一日」という姓は現在ではかなり珍しく、宮城県にはこの姓の方が約10人ほどしかいないと言われています。
Even dandelion fluff has a flower meaning.
Do you know the language of flowers for dandelions? They’re said to mean things like “happiness” and “sincere love.” White dandelions also carry the meaning “look at me.” And when they change into the fluffy seed head, their flower meaning changes too—to “parting.” This is said to come from an American folktale called “The Dandelion and the South Wind,” inspired by the image of the seeds flying away and never meeting again.
The shift from “happiness” to “parting” feels a bit heartbreaking, doesn’t it?
Although Satsuki is another name for May, the Satsuki Sho horse race is held in April.
When we think of “Satsuki,” it usually refers to May, the month of fresh green leaves.
However, the Satsuki Sho horse race held at Nakayama Racecourse in Chiba Prefecture takes place in April, not May.
Originally, the Satsuki Sho was held in May, but it was moved to April in 1952, and the name has remained the same to this day.
You can also watch horse racing broadcasts on TV, so why not enjoy the dynamic runs of the racehorses as you watch?
April 25 is World Penguin Day.
April 25 is designated as World Penguin Day.
You’re probably wondering why that date was chosen.
It originates from the fact that every year on April 25, Adélie penguins appear near a U.S.
base in Antarctica.
Penguin Day wasn’t established just because penguins are adorable; it was created to raise awareness and call for protecting them from global warming and environmental destruction.
This could be a great opportunity to learn more about environmental issues.