Will you like May even more once you know? Fun May trivia elementary schoolers should know

Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”
Music writer / guitarist / Certified web writing practitionerHoshino Takashi
Drawing on over 30 years of experience with guitars and bands since my high school days, I specialize in music-related articles and have handled many feature pieces to date. While my tastes lean toward genres like hard rock and heavy metal since I first picked up the guitar, I make a point of listening to a wide range of styles, both Japanese and Western, on a daily basis. I began working as a freelance writer in 2018. I hold a Web Writing Practical Certification, and in addition to writing, I’m also studying video editing. In my private life, I’m raising an elementary school child and stay active while supporting their extracurriculars, such as parkour and dance.

May is when we start getting used to our new classes.With hay fever settling down, it’s the season when playing outside becomes more fun.May has many events closely related to elementary school students, such as Children’s Day and Mother’s Day, but did you know there are also all kinds of trivia beyond that?Even if words come up in classes like Japanese or English, there may not be many elementary school students who know their origins.This time, we’ll introduce trivia about words you’ve likely heard related to May, as well as about seasonal events!

Will you like May even more once you know this? Fun May trivia (31–40) that elementary school students should learn

A phrase coined from the May 15 Incident

You may have heard the phrase “If we talk, we’ll understand each other.” Behind this phrase lies the May 15 Incident.

The May 15 Incident was a rebellion that occurred on May 15, a historic event in which Prime Minister Tsuyoshi Inukai was assassinated by young naval officers who broke into the prime minister’s residence.

It is said that, in the midst of the incident, sensing his life was in danger, the prime minister uttered these words.

For more details about the incident, there are thorough explanations available online, so check them out if you’re interested.

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What does “dontaku” in Hakata Dontaku mean?

Hakata Dontaku is a festival held on May 3rd and 4th in Fukuoka Prefecture, and it is said to have originated from an event called Matsubayashi.

The festival is so beloved by residents that it is also known as the “Festival of Fukuoka Citizens.” What meaning, then, is contained in the name “Dontaku”? It began to be called “Hakata Dontaku” after the festival resumed in 1879 (Meiji 12), and the word is said to derive from the Dutch “Zondag,” meaning “holiday.” The meaning itself is simple, but it conveys a strong desire for everyone to have fun together.

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Origin of the Aoi Festival

Aoi Matsuri, one of Kyoto’s three major festivals, is held on May 15 and is renowned for its grand procession that departs from the Kyoto Imperial Palace and proceeds to Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine.

Learning about the festival’s origins and background can deepen your appreciation for the season and the event itself.

Its beginnings date back to a time before the Heian period, when it was conducted to pacify the gods with the aim of averting poor harvests and epidemics.

Later, when the festival was revived in the Edo period, hollyhock leaves—futaba-aoi, the crest of the Kamo Shrines—began to be used as decorations.

It is said that this is how the name “Aoi Matsuri” became established.

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The origin of ‘noisy’ (literally ‘May flies’)

When you write “urusai” in kanji, it’s written as 「五月蠅い」.

Don’t you wonder why such characters are used? The term was coined long ago: during the rainy season, flies would appear and make a racket, so these characters were applied.

Nowadays we don’t associate May with flies, but in the old lunar calendar, the rainy season fell in the fifth month (May), which is the origin of the term.

By the way, it can also be written as 「煩い」, which has exactly the same meaning as 「五月蠅い」.

Remember whichever is easier for you to write.

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