The Reason behind Japan’s 5 P.M. Chime

f you have been in Japan, you have probably noticed that at 5 p.m. every day, in most neighborhoods, a little music is broadcasted through speakers. Sometimes a voice is saying something in Japanese too. What is this music? What is its purpose? Is the phenomenon nationwide? Read on to find all the answers.

Why Is There Music at 5 P.M. on the Streets in Japan?

Here is the most popular tune that can be heard in Japan at 5 p.m. It is the same I can hear every day in my Tokyo ward:

Does that ring a bell?

This tune is called “Yuuyake Koyake” in Japanese, and is a popular children’s song written by Shin Kusakawa, who lived in the beginning of the 20th century. Coming from Nagano, he studied music in Tokyo, where he became a composer and a high school music teacher.

Although the music played in the streets is instrumental, the original song lyrics are about Japanese children going home at sunset while the local temple’s bell is ringing. As a matter of fact, the 5 p.m. tune is often…