The Japan Matsuri returned to Trafalgar Square in London on Saturday 5th October 2013. This popular annual festival brings members of the Japanese community and Londoners together to enjoy the many aspects of Japan with Japanese food, music, dance and other activities.

The Japan Foundation ran a stall at the festival providing information about studying Japanese in the UK, useful handouts about our support for schools and details about all of our upcoming events.  In addition, we held a Japan Quiz, which 600 people entered. 

The answers to the quiz were as follows:

1. Japan is often known as “The Land of the Rising...”a) Sun b) Moon c) Ninjas
Answer: a) Sun. The Japanese word for Japan, Nihon (日本), means “sun’s origin.”

2. Japan’s tallest mountain was recently awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. But what is this mountain’s name? a) Mount Kilimanjaro b) Mount Everest c) Mount Fuji
Answer:  c) Mount Fuji. Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania, and Everest is in the Himalayas.

3. Which of these kanji (Japanese characters) means “tree”? (Hint – look at the shape!) a) 日 b) 山c) 木
Answer: c) 木(ki). 日(hi) means “sun” or “day,” while  山 (yama) means “mountain.”

4. Which of the following is a traditional Japanese performing art? a) Belly Dance b) Kabuki c) Peking Opera
Answer: b) Kabuki. Belly dance is from the Middle East, and Peking Opera is from China.

Out of those who answered the quiz correctly, we picked five at random to send our Japan Foundation Goody Bag. Congratulations to the five winners Karen Mason from London, Cathy Stroemer from Orpington, Guendalina De Luigi from London, Daniel Tilbey from Essex and Kiki Chiv from London, all of whom have been sent goody bags!

The Japan Foundation will also be at the Experience Japan Exhibition 2013 on November 16th. We hope to see you there!