Sagano, a forest in Kyoto, is made up mostly of what plant?
Coconut Trees
Bamboo
Cherry Blossoms
Lotus
Bamboo
The Sagano Bamboo Forest, a magnificent environment of wooden walkways and thick sky-high bamboo stalks, is located near Kyoto. The swinging and cracking of the trees mix into one of the government’s official soundscapes, the “100 Soundscapes of Japan.” Tourists throng to the forest, creating their own soundtracks, so you’ll have to be lucky to hear it in all its natural glory.
What is Japan’s nickname, as represented by its flag?
Land of the Sunrise
Land of the Big Red Circle
Land of the Rising Sun
Land Near The Ocean
Land of the Rising Sun
Because the sun rose from the east and looked to rise from Japan, the island country became known as the “Land of the Rising Sun.” The red circle dead center on a white backdrop of Japan’s national flag represents this.
Japan is the birthplace of several martial arts disciplines. Which of the following martial arts is not Japanese?
Karate
Kung Fu
Jujutsu
Judo
Kung Fu
Karate, judo, and jujutsu are among the various martial arts systems practiced in Japan. In the 17th century, Okinawa brought karate to the main islands. Jujutsu, a close-combat sport that dates back to the early 12th century, evolved from older versions. In the nineteenth century, jujutsu was mixed with mental discipline to become judo.
What was the leader of the medieval Japanese warlords called?
Ronin
Kokugaku
Jonin
Shogun
Shogun
This period is known as Japan’s “feudal period,” and it was dominated by warlords known as “daimyo” and their top dog, the “shogun.” From the 12th through the 19th centuries, the Emperor chose the shogun as Japan’s Prime Minister, although warlords frequently clashed.
Although Japan has hundreds of islands, there are four major ones. Which one isn’t one of them?
Hundred Islands
Hokkaido
Shikoku
Kyushu
Hundred Islands
Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu are Japan’s four main islands. Shikoku, with 7,259 square miles, is the smallest in the archipelago. The Philippines owns the hundred islands.
The Ryukyu Archipelago is made up of Japan’s southwest islands. Which of the 72 islands is the largest?
Honshu
Hashima
Sado
Okinawa
Okinawa
Okinawa is the biggest and most inhabited of the Ryukyu Archipelago islands, measuring 466 square miles and home to some of the world’s oldest people. Per 100,000 persons, there are 68 centenarians!
Known as Emperor Shwa, who was Japan’s longest-reigning monarch and state ruler during WWII.
Hitoito
Hirohito
Shinji
Suzaku
Hirohito
Hirohito, Japan’s 124th emperor, controlled the empire and subsequently the country after WWII ended until his death in 1989. Historians disagree on how much influence Hirohito had over Japan’s conquests throughout the war, believing that military advisors were in command. Some say he was a pacifist, while others claim he was a military leader.
If you enjoy making 3D art, you’ll enjoy this Japanese paper folding technique.
Mosaic
Origami
Bonsai
Shuta
Origami
The Japanese technique of paper folding, known as origami, dates back to the 17th century. Small unique sculptures or designs are constructed using a square sheet and simple folding techniques and practices. It is not acceptable to use glue, cutting, or other methods.
In Japan, this flower is known as “hanami,” and it is celebrated with a variety of events in the springtime.
Orchids
Jasmine
Cherry blossoms
Lotus
Cherry blossoms
The country’s famed cherry blossoms attract visitors from all over the world to witness the beauty of spring. Many cherry blossom events take place around Japan, blanketing the country in a delicate pink and white canopy.
Who was this Japanese Marshal Admiral during WWII (also known as the mastermind of the attack on Pearl Harbor)?
Tomoyuki Yamashita
Isoroku Yamamoto
Masatake Okumiya
Ulysses S. Grant
Isoroku Yamamoto
Isoroku Yamamoto, as Marshal Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy, was in charge of establishing Japan’s naval aviation throughout the war. He was also the commander-in-chief who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor and was subsequently assassinated by the Americans. After codebreakers found his flight plans, he joined the Army Air Forces in 1943. His death struck Japanese morale hard during the war.
Tea and crumpets are popular in the United Kingdom, but these traditional Japanese sweets are also popular to be enjoyed along with tea.
Iced Panda
Kasugai Yuzu Gummies
Wagashi
Japanese Cupcakes
Wagashi
Tea and wagashi, or traditional Japanese sweets, are a popular combination in Japan. There are several different forms of wagashi, such as dango, daifuku, and yokan. Because wagashi are time-consuming to create, the majority of people purchase them from specialist stores.
The United States (Hawaii) is 4,108 miles from Japan. Who is Japan’s most immediate neighbor?
Bangladesh
China
South Korea
Philippines
South Korea
If Japan requires a cup of sugar, it will have to go hundreds of kilometers to inquire of its nearest neighbor. South Korea, Japan’s “next door” neighbor, is 943 miles away. China and Russia are its nearest neighbors, with China 1,898 miles and Russia 2,257 miles apart.
There were three “Great Unifiers” in Japanese history. Who was not one of them?
Kenshin Himura
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Oda Nobunaga
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Kenshin Himura
At various moments throughout history, Japan’s triad of “Great Unifiers” brought the country together and ended the warring states. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was Oda Nobunaga’s retainer during the 16th century. The first two unifiers were these two. Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first of the unifiers, ruled for more than two centuries until the Meiji Restoration in the nineteenth century.
In the late 1800s, Japan went to war with (and defeated) which two countries?
China and Russia
Russia and Ukraine
North Korea and South Korea
Philippines and the United States
China and Russia
Japan went to war with China again in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, conquering areas such as Korea and Taiwan. They also won a battle with Russia over control of the Korean peninsula.
Who is Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, who has led the country since the late 1990s and will continue to do so until 2020?
Jinkee Oda
Shinzo Abe
Naoto Kan
Daniel Matsunaga
Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe was Japan’s prime minister from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020 before stepping down due to a medical issue. Between 2007 and 2012, five prime ministers gained power, but none lasted long. Abe then returned, only to quit in 2020 owing to sickness. Known as Abenomics, his economic policies comprised structural changes and stimulus throughout his time as Prime Minister.
After seeking retribution for their master, 47 members of what gang were forced to kill themselves?
Karate Masters
Ninja
Ronin
Buddhist monks
Ronin
The “revenge of the forty-seven ronin,” a famous genuine vendetta, featured 46 leaderless samurai who avenged their master’s death. Their commander, the daimyo Asano Naganori, was sentenced to seppuku, or ritual suicide, after assaulting a court officer. To honor their lord, the ronin intended to kill that same court official for a year, after which they were also commanded to execute seppuku. Many Japanese ideals are represented in the narrative, including loyalty, sacrifice, and honor.
Many European explorers visited the Orient in the 16th century. Who were the very first Europeans to arrive in Japan?
The Portuguese
The Dutch
The British
The Spanish
The Portuguese
António da Mota and Francisco Zeimoto of Portugal were the first to set foot on Tanegashima Island in the 16th century. The traders were the first two Europeans to cross the border, according to history.
In the late 17th century, Japan established an isolationist foreign policy that would last more than 200 years. Why did Japan do that?
Because they needed space
So they could grow from within
To create demand for their domestic products
So their religion wouldn’t become contaminated
So their religion wouldn’t become contaminated
Following the conversion of hundreds of thousands of Japanese to Christianity by Portuguese missionaries, the country retaliated by isolating itself in the 17th century in order to prevent other religions and cultures from polluting their own. The isolationist policy, known as “sakoku,” banned Japanese citizens from leaving and outsiders from entering on penalty of death.
This baseball legend played for the Seattle Mariners. What is this hall of famer’s name?
Hideki Matsui
Hideo Nomo
Ichiro Suzuki
Babe Ruth
Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki had a 28-year career in baseball, first with the Orix BlueWave in Japan and then with the Seattle Mariners in the United States. Suzuki set various records throughout his career, including the most hits by any player in major league baseball. He is one of the reasons baseball is such a popular sport in Japan.
With the signing of a trade deal between Japan and which country, Japanese isolationism came to an end.
United States
France
China
Britain
United States
Japan’s isolationist era came to an end with the Perry Convention (also known as the Treaty of Kanagawa). The treaty was the first to be signed with a Western country, and it was negotiated by Matthew Perry.
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