Conclusion: MENSA is full of interesting people! If you’re curious, be sure to take the membership test.

Nmya~chi! Tuna (@miyakojimalife_) (*’▽’)

In May 2026,I took the JAPAN MENSA membership exam in Okinawa and successfully passed it.

I think many people have heard of “Mensa,” but I get the feeling there aren’t that many firsthand accounts from people who have actually taken the test.

So, I thought it might be interesting to turn this into a blog post, and I gave it a try.

In this article, myMy experience with the Mensa exam—from taking it to passing—and participating in orientation sessions and meetups after joiningI will introduce it.

What is Mensa? An international organization open to people in the top 2% of IQ scores.

MENSA is an international organization founded in the United Kingdom in 1946.

The organization accepts as members individuals whose IQs rank in the top 2 percent of the population, and it has members in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Japan has a chapter of MENSA, and its official website states that as of the end of March 2025, it had over 7,000 members.

What kind of people are in Mensa?

When you hear “Mensa,”

• Nothing but geniuses
• Elite Group
• Highly educated
• People in high-paying professions

Some people might have that impression.

However, the official JAPAN MENSA FAQ describes Mensa as “a social organization composed solely of people in the top 2% of IQ.”

Age and occupation are not requirements for membership.

When I actually signed up,

• Students (elementary, junior high, high school, and college)
• Part-time worker
• Illustrator
• Rakugo storyteller
• Office worker
• Civil servant
• Entrepreneur
• Celebrities
• Attorney
• Researcher
• Doctor
• University professor

There were people of various ages and occupations, among others.

What is the IQ level for the top 2%?

There are various opinions online regarding the top 2%.

Among them, those with an IQ of 130 or higher are particularly common.

Regarding this, at the JAPAN MENSA orientation,

It was described as having an IQ of 130+.

But to be honest, I don’t really think I have that high of an IQ, so I’m not sure about that…

Personally, I think I’m just good at spotting patterns.

There are two ways to join Mensa

There are two ways to join Mensa:

• Pass the membership test administered by JAPAN MENSA
• Membership based on a certificate from a specialist (Wais-IV or WISC-V test results)

If you are recognized as having an IQ in the top 2 percent on either of these two tests, you can join Mensa.

Please note that individuals under the age of 15 may join only with a certificate from a medical specialist.

Regardless of the method, you may take the exam up to three times in your lifetime..

I thought it was amazing that they let me take the test three times.

If I’m lucky, maybe I can even join after practicing a bit…

Why I Wanted to Join Mensa

The reason I took the Mensa entrance test was that I wanted to know what my IQ was.

Instead,

“I’d like to join a Mensa club.”

That was the main reason.

It sounds like it would be fun if it were a place where people with similar interests, such as club members, could gather.

What’s more, the members who gather there all have one thing in common: they are members of Mensa.

“I wonder what kind of people live there?”

“It sounds like it would be fun to actually talk to them.”

That’s how it all started—out of curiosity.

Opportunities to connect with people from different industries

I took the test because I wanted an opportunity to connect with people from different industries.

Even today

• Sports
• Breaking (Breakdancing)
• Piano
• Stock Investing

Through this, I interact with people from various professions and students.

From hereCould this open up a whole new world of fun?There were also expectations along those lines.

I took the Mensa entrance exam in Okinawa

Of the two methods mentioned above, I preferTaking the JAPAN MENSA Membership Test in OkinawaI received it.

I had read online that it’s difficult to even take the Mensa entrance exam because the spots fill up immediately.

In fact, even at the new member orientation I attended in Tokyo,

“The time before taking the test is already the ‘zero-stage exam.’”

So many people were saying that.

However, perhaps because there are simply fewer test-takers in Okinawa to begin with, I was able to register without any problems.

Fukuoka is packed, isn’t it…

After you apply, all you have to do is wait for an email specifying the test location and time.

However, even as the exam date approaches, I still haven’t received an email specifying the exam location and time.

In my case, since I had to fly from Miyakojima to the main island of Okinawa, I got a little flustered.

I don’t even know where it is…

I was relieved when I finally received the email a few days before the exam.

The test location is not disclosed.

And then, finally, the day of the exam arrived.

At the designated venue, you will be informed of any prohibited activities.

First,

“Do not disclose the exam locations.”

After making you read this far, you’re probably thinking, “What the heck?!”

Sorry (ﾉｼ_ _)ﾉｼ

The content of the Mensa test is not disclosed.

This is probably the thing that concerns people considering taking the Mensa test the most.

However, just like the exam site mentioned earlier,

The specific details of the Mensa entrance exam are not disclosed.

We’re not even supposed to reveal the location, so there’s absolutely no way we can do this…

Sorry (ﾉｼ_ _)ﾉ

Personally, there weren’t any questions I couldn’t figure out, so

Based on my personal experience, I’d say it’s 90% to a perfect score.

I think the passing score is probably around that accuracy rate (the only part I can write about).

Time until results appear

From the Mensa examiner:

“Please allow about one month for the test results.”

The guide stated:

It arrived four days later.

It might be because there aren’t that many test-takers in Okinawa.

When I saw the acceptance letter, I was genuinely happy.(Since you can join a club,

Unlike exams or competitions, I didn’t really put any effort into it, so

I also had mixed feelings—I wasn’t sure if I should be happy about it…

By the way, on the JAPAN MENSA membership test, you are not told how many questions you answered correctly or what your IQ score is.

This might be the part that’s a little confusing…

So, it’s not that I have a high IQ, but…

I think I’m just someone who’s good at spotting patterns.

I was so happy to receive so many well-wishes from people on X!

Thank you very much \( ˆoˆ )/

Attend the New Member Orientation

Once you become a Mensa member, you’ll be able to view the message board.

Since there was an orientation for new members, I decided to attend.

Since it wasn’t held in Okinawa, I attended the event in Tokyo during our summer family trip.

Orientation Content

During the orientation, we weren’t specifically told not to disclose this information, but

Since I don’t want to cause any trouble, I’ll only write about things that seem safe to mention.

The orientation covered the following topics, among others:

• The History of Mensa
• Mensa Bylaws
• About the Steering Committee and International Conferences
• Copyright © Mensa
• About Meetups
• Member Introductions

I had learned a bit about its history by looking at the website, but

I wasn’t aware of the existence of the steering committee or international conferences, so I was surprised by the size of the organization.

The students are truly a group of geniuses.

It was interesting to hear the members introduce themselves—there were people from such a wide variety of industries!

Among them, I felt that the students were all true geniuses.

The participating college students areThe University of Tokyo and Kyoto University.

Whoa… I thought Japan’s top school had suddenly shown up…

The topics that elementary, middle, and high school students talk about are so different from what I’m used to hearing from students of that age,

I was speechless…

Since it was summer vacation,

“Are you working on your summer homework?”

In response to the host’s question,

“I am conducting research on #$%*¥ regarding the value of pi.”

etc.

“I am researching the expression *+∂√≈Ω in geometry.”

I just can’t keep up at all…

One of the elementary school students seems to have memorized pi to about 700 decimal places, and

I hear they’re taking turns coming up with questions for each other.

“Man, I’ve never played a game like that before” ( ´ ▽ ` )

I left the venue with the feeling that “I’ve entrusted Japan to you all!”

I Tried Attending a Mensa Meetup for the First Time

My long-held wish came true, and I finally attended my first meetup.

Since these meetups are rarely held in Okinawa, I took the opportunity to attend one while I was traveling in Tokyo.

What are Mensa meetups like?

There are various types of Mensa meetups, and

• Board games
• Conversations by Theme
• Dining (from cafes to fine dining)
• Sports-related
• Arts (fine arts, music, etc.)

They all looked like fun.

While I was there, I attended an offline meetup that fit into my travel schedule.

Since it was an in-person meetup for people of the same age group, the conversation wasn’t limited to Mensa-related topics, but also included

We had a fun conversation for about four hours, covering topics like work, family, and what we’re into right now.

Discovering a world you don’t know is truly enjoyable.

Since this is an offline meetup where everyone uses their real names, and since we’ve registered our addresses and other information with JAPAN MENSA,

That gave me peace of mind as well.

However, I think it also depends on personal compatibility, so I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.

At my first MENSA meetup, I felt really lucky to have such great members.

I’d love to try playing a board game next time!

Summary | Mensa: An Encounter with an Unknown World

The reason I took the MENSA test was

“I’d like to join a Mensa club.”

but

I’m glad I followed my intuition.

I think there are many different ways to encounter the unknown world, but,

Something you don’t really see around here

I have a slightly unconventional way of thinking.

I think this will increase your chances of meeting interesting people like that.

For those interested in Mensa but unsure whether to take the test.

I, too, started out with the simple thought, “This looks interesting.”

If you’re interested, I think it would be worth checking out the information on the official website first.

I hope this article helps someone discover something new.

Thank you for reading to the end.

Tandiga (´･ω･)(´_ _) Tandiga♪