National Wishing Day

0:03 Kalaruga shark Media. Hi. I'm Mark Ellison and today's theme is National Wishing Day. Superstitions, lucky charms and wish making traditions around the world. Question one. In Japan, which summer festival invites people to write their wishes on colorful paper strips and hang them on bamboo, echoing the legend of star crossed lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi meeting across the Milky Way. Question two. Tourists often toss a coin with their right hand over their left shoulder to ensure a return to what iconic Roman fountain? A modern spin on ancient wishing well traditions? Question three. At a holiday table in the United States, two people pull apart a dried wishbone for luck.

0:58 What is the anatomical name of this found in birds like turkeys and chickens? Question four. During a luminous festival in northern Thailand, thousands release paper sky lanterns that symbolically carry away misfortune and hopes into the night. What is this festival called? Question five? In Ireland, visitors famously lean backward to kiss a stone said to bestow the gift of the gab at Which castle is this wishful ritual performed.

1:38 We'll be right back with these answers after this break. Welcome back. Question one, which Japanese festival involves hanging wish strips on bamboo? Answer Tanabata. During Tanabata, typically celebrated around July seventh, people write wishes on tanzaku paper and tie them to bamboo. The custom comes from the folk tale vega or Ahemi and altaire Hikobashi lovers allowed to meet once a year. Question two, which Roman fountain is famous for coin toss wish making? Answer the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain's coin throwing ritual is said to guarantee a return to Rome. The coins collected are donated to charity. The practice echoes older traditions of making offerings to water for good fortune. Question three, what's the anatomical name of the wishbone? Answer the fercula. The fercula is a fused pair of clavicles that reinforces a bird's chest for flight.

2:33 Folklore holds that the person who gets the larger piece wins a granted wish. Question four name the Thai Lantern festival for making wishes answery Pungy Puny Pung, centered in cheng Mai and often coinciding with Loy Krathong, features comloy lanterns drifting skyward. Participants commonly make wishes as they release the lanterns, a gesture of renewal and good luck. Question five, Where do you kiss the Blarney Stone for luck? Answer? Blarney Castle. The Blarney Stone is set into Blarney Castle near Cork and is said to grant eloquence to those who kiss it. The ritual has drawn wish seekers and tourists for over a century. That concludes today's five daily trivia questions. I'm Mark Ellison, and today's questions were crafted with the help of AI technology. See you tomorrow.