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Features of Life in Japan Trivia Quiz

What do you know about sports in Japan, etiquette, the language, popular games, the arts, literature, local customs , etc.??

A multiple-choice quiz by flem-ish. Estimated time: 6 mins.

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Author
flem-ish

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
55,559

Updated
Mar 23 24

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
12 / 20

Plays
1801

Last 3 plays: workisboring (20/20), paper_aero (9/20), Joepetz (20/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. Three of these four types of behaviour are "not the done thing" in Japan". Which is the remaining one that is "common practice"? Hint

to give a knife as a present

to give chrysanthemums to the hostess at a party

to give small-sized edible presents to your host or hostess

unwrapping presents in the presence of other guests

NEXT>

Question 2 of 20

2. Which of these types of trains is the fastest? Hint

Kaisoku

Tokkyu

Nozomi

Kyuko

NEXT>

Question 3 of 20

3. In the area of Gifu there is a local tradition that fishermen train a certain type of bird for the catching of such fish as trout and 'ayu'. Which birds are used? Hint

cormorants

seagulls

kestrels

falcons

NEXT>

Question 4 of 20

4. Who was the author of the famous story of Genji (manuscript from 12th century)? Hint

Ki Tsurayuki

Sei Shonagon

Lady Murasaki Shikibu

Fujiwara Sadaie

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Question 5 of 20

5. What kind of game is pachinko? Hint

Japanese billiards

pinball

popular card-game

open air bowling

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Question 6 of 20

6. 'Washi' is a very special quality of paper in Japan. Which of these is not a characteristic of 'washi'? Hint

bright colours

hand-made

watermark

petals are mixed in

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Question 7 of 20

7. In which art did all of these earn themselves a great reputation: Hokusai, Harunobu, Hiroshige, Kiyonaga? Hint

ceramics

music

sculpture

block printing

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Question 8 of 20

8. A very frequent sight in Japan are the so-called 'Inaari-foxes', a kind of religious statue. Those foxes wear bibs! What colour are those bibs? Hint

orange

blue

red

green

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Question 9 of 20

9. Which of these Japanese words is a synonym for 'samurai'? Hint

bushi

ninja

daimyo

seppuku

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Question 10 of 20

10. What is the English equivalent of the Japanese phrase: 'Smith-san'? Hint

Mrs. Smith and/or Miss Smith

Young Mr. Smith

Miss Smith

Mr. Smith and/or Mrs. Smith

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Question 11 of 20

11. Which of these Japanese foodstuffs is actually a type of young fern? Hint

wasabi

miso

sansai

tofu

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Question 12 of 20

12. There are various varieties of noodles. Which of them is the buckwheat variety? Hint

udon

soba

somen

ramen

NEXT>

Question 13 of 20

13. What type of music instrument is the samisen? Hint

a wooden drum

a 3-stringed lute

Japanese-style bagpipes

a long bamboo flute

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Question 14 of 20

14. Alongside roads in Japan, especially in the North Nagano area you time and again may find so-called 'Dosojin stones'. What do they represent? Hint

samurai

Buddhist monks in prayer

a woman pouring out sake for a man

members of the Imperial Court

NEXT>

Question 15 of 20

15. Which of these types of behaviour is the only one that is NOT frowned upon in Japan? Hint

to keep your shoes on inside the house

to slurp while you eat soup

to touch food from a common bowl and then not to eat it

to eat while walking down the street

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Question 16 of 20

16. Which of these types of behaviour is the only one that is socially acceptable in Japan? Hint

stretching your legs when sitting down at a table

men patting each other on the shoulder

kissing in public

keeping on your slippers when walking on a tatami mat

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Question 17 of 20

17. Which of these is not a typical subject of Japanese manga (cartoons)? Hint

politics

gardening

martial arts

baseball

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Question 18 of 20

18. Of which of these Japanese martial arts does the name literally mean (fighting with the) empty hand? Hint

karate

aikido

kyudo

judo

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Question 19 of 20

19. With what part(s) of their bodies may sumo-wrestlers touch the ring during their fight? Hint

footsoles only

footsoles and elbows

footsoles and knees

footsoles and hands

NEXT>

Question 20 of 20

20. With what does the 'gyoji' or referee of a sumo wrestling match signal the start of the fight? Hint

a fan

a bell

a gong

a drum

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Most Recent Scores

Oct 26 2024 : workisboring: 20/20
Oct 26 2024 : paper_aero: 9/20
Oct 26 2024 : Joepetz: 20/20
Oct 26 2024 : wellenbrecher: 20/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Three of these four types of behaviour are "not the done thing" in Japan". Which is the remaining one that is "common practice"?

Answer: to give small-sized edible presents to your host or hostess

Knives are supposed to cut the ties of friendship. - Chrysanthemums might be felt as referring to death.

2. Which of these types of trains is the fastest?

Answer: Nozomi

Kaisoku is called 'rapid', but is not fast at all. Nozomi is the fastest of the Shinkansen trains, and also the most expensive. Kodoma and Hikari are (superfast) Shinkansen trains too, but Kodoma stops at many stations and Hikari is an intercity train. Tokkyu is the fastest of the 'limited express' trains. Kyuko is less fast, but still faster than Kaisoku.

3. In the area of Gifu there is a local tradition that fishermen train a certain type of bird for the catching of such fish as trout and 'ayu'. Which birds are used?

Answer: cormorants

The birds get a ring around their necks so that they don't swallow the fish.

4. Who was the author of the famous story of Genji (manuscript from 12th century)?

Answer: Lady Murasaki Shikibu

Lady Murasaki lived in eleventh century. Ki Tsurayuki wrote the Tosa Diary (935). Sei Shonagon is the author of the Pillow Book. Sadaie edited an anthology of Japanese poetry: Shinkokinshu (around 1205).

5. What kind of game is pachinko?

Answer: pinball

6. 'Washi' is a very special quality of paper in Japan. Which of these is not a characteristic of 'washi'?

Answer: watermark

7. In which art did all of these earn themselves a great reputation: Hokusai, Harunobu, Hiroshige, Kiyonaga?

Answer: block printing

Hokusai (1760-1849) and Hiroshige (1797-1858) are probably the best known 'ukiyo-e' artists , a Japanese term meaning 'floating world' used for some artists who practiced block-printing.

8. A very frequent sight in Japan are the so-called 'Inaari-foxes', a kind of religious statue. Those foxes wear bibs! What colour are those bibs?

Answer: red

9. Which of these Japanese words is a synonym for 'samurai'?

Answer: bushi

Seppuku is the Japanese term for what's often called harakiri, the famous Japanese suicide ritual. Ninjas are warriors trained in the arts of spying and secret attack. Daimyo refers to Japanese landowners who used samurai as their warriors. They themselves were ruled by the Sho-Gun, the highest warlord.

10. What is the English equivalent of the Japanese phrase: 'Smith-san'?

Answer: Mr. Smith and/or Mrs. Smith

Smith-chan = Miss Smith. Also used to refer to babies. Smith-kun = young Mr. Smith.

11. Which of these Japanese foodstuffs is actually a type of young fern?

Answer: sansai

Wasabi is the famous very strong horseradish paste. Miso is made from soybeans and so is tofu.

12. There are various varieties of noodles. Which of them is the buckwheat variety?

Answer: soba

Somen are thin noodles, udon are 'fatter'. Ramen are Chinese-style noodles.

13. What type of music instrument is the samisen?

Answer: a 3-stringed lute

That flute is called shakuhachi. The wooden drum : o-daiko or dadaiko. Those bagpipes simply don't exist.

14. Alongside roads in Japan, especially in the North Nagano area you time and again may find so-called 'Dosojin stones'. What do they represent?

Answer: a woman pouring out sake for a man

These stones are supposed to protect 'travellers'.

15. Which of these types of behaviour is the only one that is NOT frowned upon in Japan?

Answer: to slurp while you eat soup

16. Which of these types of behaviour is the only one that is socially acceptable in Japan?

Answer: men patting each other on the shoulder

17. Which of these is not a typical subject of Japanese manga (cartoons)?

Answer: gardening

Some other typical ones are pornography and romantic love.

18. Of which of these Japanese martial arts does the name literally mean (fighting with the) empty hand?

Answer: karate

Judo is a derivation from jiujitsu. Kyudo is the 'way of the bow'. Aikido is the way of the 'harmonious spirit'.

19. With what part(s) of their bodies may sumo-wrestlers touch the ring during their fight?

Answer: footsoles only

20. With what does the 'gyoji' or referee of a sumo wrestling match signal the start of the fight?

Answer: a fan

Source: Author flem-ish

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor minch before going online.
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