Special Sub-Topic: Features of Life in Japan Click Here To Play: Features of Life in Japan

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

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.

Which of these types of trains is the fastest?

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.

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?

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

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

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).

What kind of game is pachinko?

pinball.

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

watermark.

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

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.

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?

red.

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

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.

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

Mr. Smith and/or Mrs. Smith. Smith-chan = Miss Smith. Also used to refer to babies. Smith-kun = young Mr. Smith.

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

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

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

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

What type of music instrument is the samisen?

a 3-stringed lute. That flute is called shakuhachi. The wooden drum : o-daiko or dadaiko. Those bagpipes simply don't exist.

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

a woman pouring out sake for a man. These stones are supposed to protect 'travellers'.

Which of these types of behaviour is the only one that is not frowned upon in Japan?

to slurp while you eat soup.

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

men patting each other on the shoulder.

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

gardening. Some other typical ones are pornography and romantic love.

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

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

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

footsoles only.

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

a fan.