Pop Culture Across Asia
This Japanese animation studio is known for films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl’s Moving Castle.
What is Studio Ghibli?
I am a Persian poet whose lines about love, spirituality, and the soul are read around the world.
Who is Rumi?
This Chinese festival is celebrated with mooncakes and lanterns, usually in the fall.
What is the Mid-Autumn Festival?
This famous Japanese mountain is also an active volcano and a national symbol of Japan.
What is Mount Fuji?
This country’s capital sits on the Red River and its largest city was formerly named Saigon.
What is Vietnam?
This Indian composer won Oscars for his work on Slumdog Millionaire, including “Jai Ho.”
Who is A. R. Rahman?
I am a Filipino boxer and politician who won world titles across multiple weight classes.
Who is Manny Pacquiao?
This Buddhist holiday celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha in many Asian countries.
What is Vesak?
This palace complex in Beijing served as the home of Chinese emperors for centuries.
What is the Forbidden City?
This country’s flag features an image of a building rather than a star, moon, or animal.
What is Cambodia?
This 2000 wuxia film helped bring Chinese-language martial arts cinema to a wider global audience and won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
This Iranian singer, known as the “King of Persian Pop,” became an icon of pre-revolution Iranian music.
Who is Googoosh?
This Cambodian New Year celebration takes place in April and includes temple visits, games, and water rituals.
What is Khmer New Year?
This Lahore landmark was built during the Mughal era and is one of the largest mosques in the world.
What is Badshahi Mosque?
This country is one of only two double-landlocked countries in the world.
What is Uzbekistan?
This Korean boy band’s 2012 song “Fantastic Baby” became one of the defining songs of second-generation K-pop.
Who is BIGBANG?
I was the founder and longtime leader of Singapore, helping transform it into a major global financial hub.
Who is Lee Kuan Yew?
This Mongolian festival features wrestling, horse racing, and archery, often called the “three manly sports.”
What is Naadam?
This Japanese castle, known for its white exterior, is nicknamed the “White Heron Castle.”
What is Himeji Castle?
This country has a red and white flag and shares a long island border with Malaysia and Brunei.
What is Indonesia?
This Pakistani musician was known as the “King of Qawwali” and helped bring the genre to global audiences.
Who is Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan?
I was a Chinese admiral and explorer who led massive treasure voyages across the Indian Ocean during the Ming Dynasty.
Who is Zheng He?
This Thai festival in Chiang Mai involves releasing lanterns into the sky and is often associated with Loy Krathong.
Yi Peng
This Persian-influenced garden tomb in Delhi is considered a major architectural predecessor to the Taj Mahal.
What is Humayun’s Tomb?
This country’s Silla, Baekje, and Goguryeo kingdoms are remembered as its Three Kingdoms period.
What is Korea / South Korea?