Olympics

The Olympics are also famous for their symbol featuring five interlocking rings. It is a festival of sports held once every four years, bringing together countries from around the world. The design of the so-called five rings was conceived by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics. That design represents people coming together from the five continents: Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas.

beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)

The rhinoceros beetle is an insect often seen in summer, and males have a large single horn. They are nocturnal and prefer tree sap. Despite their cool shape, rhinoceros beetles are actually members of the scarab family. They’re quite a tough-looking scarab, aren’t they? It’s said there are five species in Japan and as many as 1,600 species worldwide. I’d love to see them all!

Moon viewing

Otsukimi is an old-fashioned event where people admire the autumn full moon and decorate with rice dumplings and pampas grass. The legend of the rabbit on the moon is also famous, right? There isn’t a fixed date for Otsukimi; it’s set as the day when the full moon appears between September 7 and October 8. Since rice begins to ripen around the night of the full moon (Jugo-ya), it’s said to carry wishes for a good harvest as well. But more than anything, we’re all really thinking about the dumplings, aren’t we?

AED

AED stands for automated external defibrillator. It is a medical device that delivers an electric shock when the heart stops to restore a normal rhythm. They are often installed in public places such as train stations and schools. Many people may have learned how to use one in health class or integrated studies at school. It’s a good idea to review so you’re always prepared to use it.

clock

Clocks have numbers written on them, hands attached, and they move clockwise. They’re the hardest-working ones, always doing their best to tell us the time! The idea of the 24 hours a clock marks out originated in ancient Egypt. They first divided a day into daytime and nighttime, observing the sun’s movement for the day and the stars’ movement for the night, and split each into 12 parts. If you’re curious, search for “sundial” to explore the topic further!

Tanabata

The answer derived from these keywords is the traditional event held on July 7th, Tanabata. We arrive at this answer because, during Tanabata, people decorate bamboo branches with tanzaku (strips of paper) on which they write their wishes, and they also eat somen noodles as a representation of the Milky Way, the setting of the Tanabata story.

Valentine

The word associated with each keyword is “Valentine.” Valentine’s Day is an event in February, and as it approaches, hearts and chocolates start to stand out in stores. Also, since those chocolates are meant to convey your feelings to someone you like, they naturally bring Valentine’s Day to mind.

fireworks

If you’re thinking of something held at night that uses gunpowder to create sparks and smoke, the answer is fireworks. It’s said to have started with launches during the Obon season to calm the spirits of ancestors. Okuribi bonfires and Shōryō-nagashi are also part of the Obon period, aren’t they? Fireworks are often seen at summer festivals, but in recent years displays have been held nationwide in every season. Winter fireworks have their own special charm, too.

randoseru (Japanese elementary school backpack)

The answer to this quiz is “randoseru.” A randoseru is a sturdy, box-shaped bag used by Japanese elementary school students when they go to school. It is worn on the back, and it’s a school item used to carry learning materials such as textbooks and notebooks. Connecting these characteristics leads you to think of a randoseru.

graduation ceremony

The keywords March, cherry blossoms, chorus, and farewell are often seen in school graduation ceremonies. At graduation, everyone sings together and bids a heartfelt goodbye. I wonder if the principal’s generation sings Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi’s “Kanpai”? The graduation song is the last song everyone practices together—just thinking about it brings me to tears. What kind of song is sung at your school?