Japan Matsuri returned to Trafalgar Square in London on Saturday 19th September 2015. 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 700 people entered.

The answers to the quiz were as follows:

1. What colour is the Japanese flag?

a) Red and yellow     b) Red and white       c) Pink and white

ANSWER b) The Japanese flag is a red circle on a white background

2. What is the Japanese art of artistic paper folding called?

a) Origami             b) Kendo              c) Karaoke

ANSWER a) Origami literally means “folding paper”

3. The kanji (Japanese character) 花(hana) means “flower” and the kanji 火 (hi) means “fire.” What do you think their combination, 花火, (hanabi) means?

a) Daisy   b) Explosion   c) Firework

ANSWER c) “Hanabi” means “firework” in Japanese.

Out of those who answered the quiz correctly, we picked three at random to send our Japan Foundation Goody Bag. Congratulations to the winners Holly from Hertfordshire, Ann from Hampshire and Sarah from Hertfordshire, who have now been sent their good bags!

Japan Foundation will also be at Bristol Anime Con on October 3^rd, and the Language Show Live in London on October 16 - 18. We hope to see you there!