[Tanabata Quiz] Three-choice questions to enjoy trivia and fun facts

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!”
Composition nerdmutō
Started performing in bands in junior high school. Influenced by Japanese rock and UK rock, spent over 10 years continuing band activities while creating original songs. Later began producing Vocaloid tracks using Hatsune Miku, with total plays of released songs surpassing 10,000. Has five years of experience writing for music magazines. Currently works as a music writer, director, and composer, keeping a ground-level perspective on the scene by attending live shows across Japan. Now performs at live houses in Tokyo, showcasing guitar playing centered on acoustic guitar and informed by knowledge of chord analysis and guitar scales. Also writes leveraging a broad knowledge of music genres.

Tanabata is a festival where a romantic story unfolds about Orihime and Hikoboshi, who can meet only once a year on a special night.

It’s also cherished as a traditional celebration, with a bittersweet yet heartwarming tale passed down through generations.

Some of you may want to delve deeper into the romantically tinged atmosphere of Tanabata.

In this article, we’ve compiled a quiz themed around the history and trivia of Tanabata.

We’ll present many questions that teach fun facts, such as why we write wishes on tanzaku strips and decorate bamboo.

Give these quizzes a try to make your Tanabata festivities even more enjoyable!

[Tanabata Quiz] 3-choice questions to enjoy trivia and fun facts (21–30)

What is the cloth woven by Orihime called?

scarlet lacing
clouds and brocade
warp-patterned brocade

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clouds and brocade

In the Tanabata legend, the cloth woven by Orihime is called “un-kin,” and its beauty is said to ascend to the heavens. As intricate as clouds and vividly colored, this fabric is said to be used for garments and other items in the heavenly realm.

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mutō

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What is the Milky Way called in English?

Sky River
Milky Way
Star River

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Milky Way

In English, 天の川 is expressed as “the Milky Way.” It’s curious, isn’t it? You might expect it to include “River,” since 天の川 literally means “river in the heavens.” In fact, in Greek mythology the Milky Way is said to be the milk of the goddess Hera. The story goes that Hercules latched on to her, and the milk that spilled when Hera awoke became the Milky Way.

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sasashina

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What is the confection, introduced from China, that is said to be eaten on Tanabata?

mooncake
Sakubei (traditional twisted fried dough)
Wife Cake

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Sakubei (traditional twisted fried dough)

Tanabata is said to be a custom that was brought from China during the Nara period. Along with that custom came a confection called sakubei. Sakubei is made by mixing wheat flour and rice flour, twisting the dough into thin strands, and deep-frying it. It is also said to be the prototype of somen noodles.

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sasashina

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In which era was Tanabata a public holiday?

Edo period
Meiji era
Taisho era

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Edo period

Tanabata, held on July 7, was designated in the Edo period as one of the shogunate’s official ceremonial days known as the Five Seasonal Festivals and was treated as a holiday. The reason Tanabata is not a holiday today is that the new Gregorian calendar was adopted in the Meiji period and the Five Seasonal Festivals were abolished.

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sasashina

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What do people in Taiwan call the day of Tanabata?

Family Day
Friendship Day
Lovers' Day

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Lovers' Day

In Japan, when Tanabata comes around, families make decorations, hang them on bamboo branches, and eat somen noodles, right? But in Taiwan, it’s said to be cherished as a day for couples to spend time together and exchange gifts, much like the love story of Hikoboshi and Orihime. How romantic!

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sasashina

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What do people do on the Tanabata day in some regions of Taiwan?

Coming-of-Age Ceremony
graduation ceremony
wedding

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Coming-of-Age Ceremony

In some regions of Taiwan, there is a tradition of celebrating coming of age during the Qixi Festival. By passing under a decoration called the “Qiniangma Pavilion,” it is said that one leaves parental protection, marking the child’s growth. “Qiniangma Pavilion” is pronounced shichijō-botei in Japanese. This custom is practiced at places such as Kaitai Tianhou Temple in Anping.

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sasashina

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What does the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan call the Tanabata day according to the old lunar calendar?

Old Tanabata
Traditional Tanabata
Autumn Tanabata

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Traditional Tanabata

At the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Tanabata based on the lunisolar calendar—that is, the 7th day of the 7th month in the old calendar—is referred to as the “Traditional Tanabata.” Traditional Tanabata tends to coincide with the end of the rainy season, making the stars easier to see. Why not take a moment to look up at the night sky on that day?

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