The Game's Afoot! Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Toshogu

Shrines and Temples of Nikko is a UNESCO Heritage listed site which is made up of 103 different structures. Nine of these have been recorded as national treasures of Japan. These structures are encompassed by three buildings; the two Shinto shrines - Toshogu (did you pick up the little "to show" hint) and Futarasan-jinja. The other is the Buddhist temple Rinno-ji.

Built in 1617, the Toshogu was dedicated to the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Five of the structures within this shrine are part of the nine national treasures mentioned above. The shrine is made up of a five storey pagoda that was donated by a daimyo in 1650. The pagoda was leveled by fire and rebuilt in 1818. Each of the storeys within the pagoda is said to represent an element. In ascending order these are earth, water, fire, wind and aether. The latter is also known as void.

Each spring and autumn, festivals are held here, and a part of the programme is a parade known as the "processions of a thousand warriors". This re-enacts a march from from Edo to the Toshogu along the Nikko Kaido, one of the five routes built to connect Edo to the shrine.

Answer: Magnificent

Depending on the inflection kekko can have a number of meanings that range from 'beautiful' to 'I am satisfied'. Hence the alternatives provided were as far removed from the answer as possible.

Nikko is a city that sits in the rural sector of the Tochigi prefecture and, by Japanese standards, it is huge. Not in population but in area. On that basis, it rates as Japan's third largest city. The area is blessed with mountains and waterfalls and this makes it an important source of hydroelectric power for the country.

Nikko is home to a range of tourist attractions. Among them are the Futarasan and Toshogu Shrines and, if you look closely at one of the door panels of the latter you will see the images of Mizaru, Kikazaru and Iwazaru carved into it. These three chaps are better known as the Thee Wise Monkeys and are the origin of the principle "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". Not satisfied with that, take a stroll through Nikko's Cedar Avenue or its Botanical Garden, or visit the Tamozawa Imperial Villa for something different.

Answer: Kegon Waterfall

These stunning falls are on the Daiyi River and they plunge some 97 metres from Lake Chuzenzi, which sits above the river and this is the only outlet. There are up to a dozen cascades that also fall from behind it and its sides.

As mentioned above, it was recognized as one of the "Eight Views". This occurred in 1927 but it is also seen as one of the "Three Great Japan Waterfalls". The other two are Nachi Falls in Wakayama and Fukuroda Falls in Ibaraki.

Now here's a sad tale. In May of 1903 a young poet by the name of Misao Fujimura carved out a farewell poem on a tree at the top of the falls. He then threw himself over the edge to his death. The story hit the press and was sensationalized. Since then, the falls have become a popular site for suicides.

Answer: Bullet train

If I ever get to Japan, one of the items that will be high on my wish list is a ride on the bullet train. This is an amazing piece of engineering and truly a Japanese marvel. Picture this. It is October the 1st in 1964. The Tokyo Olympics are ten days away from starting. At 10:00 am an entire nation breathes a massive sigh of relief... the first two Hikari Shinkansen have just arrived at their separate destinations, Osaka and Tokyo. They were precisely on time. This was a trip that would take their regular train almost seven hours to complete... the bullet train did it in four.

This was one of the pieces of Japanese engineering that would help the country recover from the devastating effects and scars of World War II and see it rise to become one of the world's economic giants.

(Footnote) Shiso is also known as Beefsteak plant and is a herb of the mint family. It tastes similar to basil but it also bears undertones of cumin and cloves. It is popular in Japanese cuisine but it is also loaded with aromatic oils that can be used in the art of making perfumes.

Answer: Rice paddies

The Niigata prefecture sits on the coast of the Sea of Japan, is a part of the historic Hokuriku region and, by area, is the fifth largest prefecture in the country. It boasts the major cities of Niigata (its capital city) and Nagaoka, Jeetsu, and Sanjo.

The expanses of land available in this prefecture make it perfect for agricultural pursuits and rice is easily its major output. Only the Hokkaido prefecture produces more rice than Niigata. Koshihikari rice, considered to be the highest quality rice produced by Japan, is one of the main varieties grown here, particularly around the Uonuma region. The area is also well documented for the range of high quality rice products that it creates, most notably sake (an alcoholic beverage) senbei and arare (forms of rice crackers) and mochi (rice cakes).

The land is also utilised to grow flowering plants and the region is one of Japan's largest growers of azaleas, lilies and tulips.

Answer: Banishment

Sado Island is Japan's sixth largest island. The four main islands and Okinawa are the only ones larger than it. Its temples, historical ruins and its rich history have made it a tourist mecca. It is also an important breeding ground for the Japanese crested ibis.

It is a remote island, and it is this remoteness that made it an ideal place to exile individuals that were seen as "inconvenient" to the Japanese government. For example, the poet, Hozumi no Asomi You, found himself sent to the island in 722 for his criticism of the emperor. The expectation of an individual sent to the island was that they would not return.

Another group that was sent to the island without the expectation of returning were the growing numbers of homeless people in Japanese cities at the start of the 1600s. Gold was discovered on Sado and the island was short on manpower. As the gold was a strong source of revenue for the Tokugawa shogunate, this was seen as a way to kill (pun not intended) two birds with a single stone. For the homeless it appeared to be a case of gold is forever.

Answer: Mercy

The Chokokuji Temple was founded by the Buddhist monk Kukai, nowadays known as Kobo Daishi in 807. The temple is important as it owns a large number of cultural assets that relate strongly to Japanese history and culture. Amongst those are three eleven headed Kannon statues that have been classified as national treasures. These statues are unveiled to the public every 33 years. The next time they are due to be exhibited will be in 2034.

The temple is also famous for its vast planting of peonies, so much so that it is sometimes referred to as the "temple of flowers". The statue that you will struggle to miss is that of a large 20 foot white rabbit that acts as the guardian of the temple. It was dedicated to the significant number of rabbits that roam the grounds and keep the grass and the weeds down. Carved into the chest of the rabbit is the image of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. She is generally depicted as a many armed deity with eleven heads and is said to protect all the peoples of Japan. With Japan being a land subject to earthquakes and living under the threat of tsunamis, it is little wonder they turn to her and have carved numerous large statues of her across the islands.

Answer: Ghost town

During the 1600s gold was discovered on Sodo island and a lot of communities thrived as a result. Shukunegi was one of those. Ship builders and carpenters arrived and, before long, a shipbuilding industry flourished. By ships, we mean junks, and these were used to ship the gold. Over 200 houses were created here and a number of them were built from the planks of decommissioned junks. One of the houses here is even shaped like a ship.

Today, the place is virtually abandoned, and you will find very few villagers here. Shukunegi is now a Heritage Preservation Area. It has been placed in a category called "Groups of Traditional Buildings" and has the protection of the law. That said, there are few visitors here though a trip to the village can create a unique experience, especially when combined with a ride in the tarai-bune boat (a small vessel that looks like a barrel cut in half) to the nearby town of Ogi and a visit to their ship museum.

Answer: Noh

For those visiting Japan, Sado Island is a hot spot for Noh. Centred on Buddhist themes, it is, generally, a retelling (rather than a re-enactment) of a significant historical event. It uses a combination of dance, song and acting to achieve this.

Created in the fourteenth century, Noh tends to focus on the most dominant emotion within the main character. This could be rage, sorrow or joy. All of the elements of the actor - the gestures, the songs, the recitations etc - are channeled toward building that sole emotion, which will climax at the end of the play. What allows Noh to stand out is its intensity. Every movement is choreographed and bent to the director's wishes. There is no room for individual interpretation.

Answer: Cedar

There are two cedar (see the... that was the hint) forests that sit on the ridgeline of the Osada mountains in Sado, the Ishina and the Niigata University Research Cedar Forest. The interesting feature of these trees is that they have been forced to endure severe winters. This has had the effect of slowing their growths and, at the same time, twisting their bodies into unusual shapes and creating an eerie landscape. Some of the trees here are estimated to be in excess of 300 years old.

There was a time during the Edo period that a significant number of these tree were cut down... but only the straight ones. This was to assist with the production of gold that had been found in the area. However, as the timber was not reliable as fuel, did not posses many commercial properties and, for the most part, severely bent out of shape, it was soon left be. Consequently, most of the trees here that have remained have been untouched for many years.