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Quiz about A Field Trip to Japan
Quiz about A Field Trip to Japan

A Field Trip to Japan Trivia Quiz


Japan is a fascinating country, geographically and culturally! Here are only ten reasons why.

A multiple-choice quiz by lordprescott. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
lordprescott
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
412,013
Updated
Apr 23 23
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Easy
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
164
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. As your plane flies over Japan readying to touch down, you notice something interesting about the country. Instead of being a single piece of land, it is made up of many islands! About how many islands make up Japan? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Your plane finally touches down in Japan's capital, Tokyo. You are glad to finally be on land--you were afraid that your plane would hit the large landmark near the city! Which major geological feature overlooks Tokyo? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. One of your first stops is to visit a museum. There, you learn that Japan had no writing system until about 50 AD, when a form of writing was adopted from elsewhere. From which country, known for its vast land mass and the name that it shares with a type of pottery, did Japan get its writing system? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. While you are in Japan, you are delighted to participate in what is known in the West as "the tea ceremony", or the making and serving of a Japanese tea. What tea, which is green in color, are you drinking? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. You have heard that Japan is prone to a large number of earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunami, but you were never sure why exactly. You soon learn that this is because Japan sits upon a line where the earth's plates frequently collide. What is the common name of this line? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. As you travel, you notice two main characteristics about Japan's geography; first, that it is very mountainous. You also notice what other main feature of Japan? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. On your trip, you decide to participate in a Japanese invention that is now very popular in the West. While at a nightclub, you are given a microphone and become the star of the show as you sing along to some of your favorite songs playing on a screen. But what are you doing? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. You also get a chance to learn about the Japanese Constitution, which came into effect on May 3, 1947. You are particularly struck by Article 9; this Article renounces Japan's sovereign right to do what? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. You decide to explore a different island, and choose this one, the fifth largest of Japan's islands and the largest of the Ryukyu Islands to the south of mainland Japan. Which did you choose? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. It's almost time for you to go, but you still have time to visit a festival and stop and smell the roses. But wait--these aren't roses you're smelling! What fragrant flower, known as "sakura", is at the center of a popular Japanese festival? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. As your plane flies over Japan readying to touch down, you notice something interesting about the country. Instead of being a single piece of land, it is made up of many islands! About how many islands make up Japan?

Answer: Over 14,000

Japan is a massive group of islands; there are a whopping 6,852 islands in this group! This makes Japan the largest island country is East Asia. The Japanese archipelago consists of over 14,000 islands.

The land mass that we usually think of as Japan is actually its four main islands. These are Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu. Honshu is the largest island of the four, and includes the country's capital, Tokyo.
2. Your plane finally touches down in Japan's capital, Tokyo. You are glad to finally be on land--you were afraid that your plane would hit the large landmark near the city! Which major geological feature overlooks Tokyo?

Answer: Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji, which is located about 100 km away from Tokyo, is one of Japan's most famous geographical features and its largest mountain. It can be seen from Tokyo under good weather conditions. It is, in fact, an active volcano, and it last erupted between 1707 and 1708.

Mount Fuji has long been believed sacred. In fact, up until 1872, women were forbidden to climb to the top because of this. In history, samurais trained near its base. With Mount Haku and Mount Tate, it is one of the "Three Holy Mountains" of Japan, three mountains believed sacred in Japanese folklore and mythology.
3. One of your first stops is to visit a museum. There, you learn that Japan had no writing system until about 50 AD, when a form of writing was adopted from elsewhere. From which country, known for its vast land mass and the name that it shares with a type of pottery, did Japan get its writing system?

Answer: China

Japan adopted the Chinese system of writing around AD 50; prior to this, the spoken language of Japan had no written form. Chinese literature also provides much of the historical evidence about Japan and its culture. The first written mention of the Japanese archipelago comes from the Chinese "Book of Han", completed in 111 AD, while the earliest record that mentions the Japanese language is a Chinese document from 256 AD.

Although written Japanese was influenced by Chinese characters, the language of Japanese itself bears no relation to Chinese, or any other neighboring language.
4. While you are in Japan, you are delighted to participate in what is known in the West as "the tea ceremony", or the making and serving of a Japanese tea. What tea, which is green in color, are you drinking?

Answer: Matcha

Matcha, a green tea, is the most common tea drunk in Japan, and is at the heart of "the tea ceremony". Long used in China, the first documented mention of tea in Japan dates from the 9th century AD history book "Nihon Kōki", which tells of how the Buddhist monk Eichū brought back tea from China sometime before 815 AD. By 816, tea plantations had begun in Japan.

Matcha tea is either made as "thick tea" or "thin tea"; the leaves of the best quality are used for thick tea. The tea ceremony itself can also vary depending on the time of day, the season, the type of tea being served, and other factors.
5. You have heard that Japan is prone to a large number of earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunami, but you were never sure why exactly. You soon learn that this is because Japan sits upon a line where the earth's plates frequently collide. What is the common name of this line?

Answer: Ring of Fire

The Ring of Fire, or the Pacific Ring of Fire, is caused by the underlying plate tectonics, where the lithospheric plates come into contact with one another. The Ring of Fire itself is in a horseshoe shape, and includes about two-thirds of the earth's entire number of volcanoes.

The Ring of Fire is massive; not only does it lie under Japan, but it also stretches up the eastern coast of China across to the western side of North and South America.
6. As you travel, you notice two main characteristics about Japan's geography; first, that it is very mountainous. You also notice what other main feature of Japan?

Answer: It is heavily forested

Yes, Japan is heavily forested despite--or perhaps more rightly because--of its mountainous regions. Mountainous regions make up about 73% of Japan, and most of these mountain regions are heavily forested, which means that the two features go hand in hand. Because of this rugged terrain, much of Japan's population is densely grouped in the less mountainous areas.
7. On your trip, you decide to participate in a Japanese invention that is now very popular in the West. While at a nightclub, you are given a microphone and become the star of the show as you sing along to some of your favorite songs playing on a screen. But what are you doing?

Answer: Karaoke

Karaoke was first prototyped in Japan by engineer Shigeichi Negishi in 1967, although it was developed in many regions of Japan over time. Early karaoke machines usually used 8-track cassette tapes connected to a television screen and microphones.

The term is derived from two Japanese words: "kara", meaning empty, and "ōkesutora", meaning orchestra. Today, people all over the world participate in karaoke, whether informally, at clubs, or on the internet.
8. You also get a chance to learn about the Japanese Constitution, which came into effect on May 3, 1947. You are particularly struck by Article 9; this Article renounces Japan's sovereign right to do what?

Answer: declare war in order to settle disputes

Imposed by the United States of America after World War II, the Japanese Constitution allows for a constitutional monarchy, with an Emperor and a parliament. Article 9 officially translates as:

"ARTICLE 9. (1) Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.
(2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be sustained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized."

Article 9 has been the subject of much debate over the years, and in 2014 it was reinterpreted to allow for Japan's self-defense and aid of allies.
9. You decide to explore a different island, and choose this one, the fifth largest of Japan's islands and the largest of the Ryukyu Islands to the south of mainland Japan. Which did you choose?

Answer: Okinawa Island

Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of mainland Japan. At only about 11 kilometers (7 miles) wide and 106 kilometers (66 miles) long, its capital is the city of Naha. The United States Military was based from Okinawa during part of World War II, and there is still a strong American military presence there today. In addition, up until 1972 Okinawa was still under American administration.

There are many lovely attractions to explore on Okinawa, including several coastal rock formations, and Okinawa World, a theme park. You'll also be able to find many restaurants serving local cuisine.
10. It's almost time for you to go, but you still have time to visit a festival and stop and smell the roses. But wait--these aren't roses you're smelling! What fragrant flower, known as "sakura", is at the center of a popular Japanese festival?

Answer: Cherry blossoms

Every spring, between about the end of March to the beginning of May, Japan watches for the blooming of cherry blossoms, which only last a few weeks. While they bloom, "hanami" parties are often hosted. "Hanami", or the tradition of admiring flowers, dates back hundred of years.

Although Japan does not celebrate an official Cherry Blossom Festival such as is celebrated in many parts of North America, "hanami" is still popular and parties can get quite noisy, with the consumption of sake. Because of this, many elderly people like to do "umemi" instead, an older form of "hanami" which is the viewing of plum blossoms.
Source: Author lordprescott

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