Summer Pop Quiz

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by SHAD0W

Please note: The answers highlighted in bold were questions that I asked my host mother for help with, but she can't speak English so I asked in Japanese.

Does this lower my score?

No, it doesn't. I couldn't do that to an honest man like yourself. That kind of practice with a native speaker is really good for you, too.

I admit that some of the questions were difficult. I could have asked much easier questions had the topic been the broad "Japanese culture". However, when it was narrowed down to "summer", I wasn't able to think of too many easy questions.
__________

A couple of people answered "Cicadas" for Question #14. Cicadas are very easy to catch and they are not sold at stores because they only live a few week above the ground. (Besides that, they sing too loud to keep at home.) They are born and they grow up underground for several years. Then, they come out and climb up trees for the eclosion. After that the "adult" cicadas only live a couple of weeks for breeding.

[seiki]

Those were very interesting questions and answers! I wish I had found this thread before the answers were posted!

And that barbecued eel looks delicious I wish I could find it over here. Maybe I will check asian district.

[TalnSG]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

Food:

1. In Japan, we often eat cold meals in the summer. What is the name of the noodle dish in this pic?



Hiyamugi. Literally, "cold wheat". Someone answered "Soba" but soba noodles are dark in color and it isn't served in iced water like hiyamugi is. At least one person answered "soumen" but hiyamugi is considerably thicker than soumen.

冷麦（ひやむぎ）です。細めのスパゲティーくらいの太 さです。夏はこれです！

This one was driving me crazy because as soon as you posted it I started craving Naengmyeon and couldn't think of anything else, and those certainly were not buckwheat noodles.

It also helped to have the Nihongo translation for boricha.

Good quiz!

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by TalnSG

Naengmyeon and boricha.

Took me a while to figure out what you were talking about. Those are Reimen and Mugi-cha respectively in Japanese.
___________

Someone answered "green tea" for Question #3 but we rarely drink green tea ice cold. Furthermore, we don't really drink as much green tea as anime would have believe you.

[berrypie]

サシミスターさん、クイズを出てくださってありがとう ございます！すごく楽しかったの～

I'd like to ask a few questions here

Originally Posted by Sashimister

4. What do many Japanese eat on Doyo No Ushi No Hi and why?

Barbequed fresh water eel. We eat it because it's highly nutritional and it helps us fight the summer heat and humidity.

うなぎのかば焼きです。栄養豊富なので、夏バテ防止に もってこいなんです。

What is Doyo No Ushi No Hi? Is it the hottest day in summer?
I heard that eating unagi to fight against the heat is a myth; but anyhow unagi don is so tasty that it can stimulate one's appetite.

7. Besides red, what is the color of the inside of water melons that you may encounter in Japan?

Yellow.
黄色です。

Does the yellow one taste different from the red one?

じゃ、秋になるとまたよろしくね～～～～

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by berrypie

サシミスターさん、クイズを出てくださってありがとう ございます！すごく楽しかったの～

団長に楽しんでもらえるなら何でもします！

What is Doyo No Ushi No Hi? Is it the hottest day in summer?

It is rather complicated. It changes every year as well. I will let someone else explain it for you. Please click:

Doyo Ushi No Hi: Eel Day In Japan

I heard that eating unagi to fight against the heat is a myth; but anyhow unagi don is so tasty that it can stimulate one's appetite.

It's no myth. Unagi is extremely rich in Vitamin A, which helps you recover from fatigue.

Does the yellow one taste different from the red one?

Yes, very much so. The yellow watermelon tastes creamy and less sweet than the red kind. But don't be discouraged to try the yellow because I said "less sweet" because the red is already much sweeter than the red grown in North America. The yellow is actually called クリーム here.