The Song Heard on the Way Home in "Crayon Shin-chan"... The 5 p.m. "Go-Home Melody" [Sunday Culture in Japan]

"Yuuyake Chime" Means the Dusk Broadcast
Used in Japan, Where Disasters Are Frequent, as a System Check

In Korea, village announcements are generally perceived as something made by the local village head. People are not very familiar with the idea of announcements or music being broadcast throughout the neighborhood. However, in Japan, it is common for each neighborhood to have frequent broadcasts. Especially in Japanese animation, there is a familiar melody that plays at sunset as people return home from work, after grocery shopping, or while chatting with friends on their way home. Let me tell you about the local broadcast known as "Yuuyake Chime," which is played every day at sunset around 5 p.m.

"Yuuyake Chime" is a compound word meaning "sunset chime." As the name suggests, it refers to the chime that is heard at sunset. In Japan, at around 5 p.m., a song is played in each neighborhood. Because of this, parents often use the chime as a standard for setting their children's curfew. For example, they might say, "Come home when the chime rings." In some areas, the broadcast even includes a narration that says, "Children, it is time to go home now." Since sunset is the key factor, the broadcast is usually played between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m. from March to September. During the winter months, when the days are shorter, the melody is played earlier, typically around 4:30 p.m.

A loudspeaker ringing with Yuuyake Chime. Netorabo.

There is also an interesting episode related to this. In 2021, elementary school students in Itabashi, Tokyo, submitted a petition to the local council, arguing that the municipality had moved up the chime time for the winter, but it did not match the actual sunset. The melody signaling it was time to go home played while the children were still playing outside. Disappointed, the students suggested that the chime be delayed by 30 minutes, as the intention of the "go-home melody" was not being met when it was still bright outside. They even collected signatures from 60 students at their school to support their proposal.

This broadcast, which creates both disappointment for children and convenience for parents, is actually part of the "disaster prevention administrative radio system." In Japan, where disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis are frequent, a disaster prevention radio network is set up to convey information during emergencies. Each local government, including basic municipalities, is required by the "Regional Disaster Prevention Plan" to maintain a radio network that can be used for disaster prevention, emergency rescue, and disaster recovery operations in their area.

In normal times, the system is used for announcements and these "go-home" chimes. When a disaster occurs, the prefectural government, which is the highest administrative unit, takes control of the radio network. For example, if an earthquake occurs, the prefectural office can instantly deliver emergency notifications to all subordinate municipalities. If an earthquake with a seismic intensity of 5 or higher is detected, a broadcast announcing "a major earthquake has occurred" is automatically played through the loudspeakers. This is why it is a serious problem if there are areas where the broadcast cannot be heard. Disaster prevention officials in local governments are responsible for installing base stations in such areas to ensure that broadcasts can be heard everywhere.

So, you can probably guess the purpose of the Yuuyake Chime. Since it would be a major problem if the disaster prevention system were to malfunction, the "go-home" music is played every day as a way to check that the system is working properly.

A poster for the capsule toy featuring a megaphone that plays the nostalgic children's song "Yuuyake Chaim." The megaphone is designed to play this memorable tune. Sota website.

Japan uses this system to broadcast a wide variety of announcements. For example, when a smog advisory is issued, there are broadcasts asking residents to close their windows, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, many areas broadcast messages urging people to wear masks and refrain from going out. Similar to how Korea sends disaster text alerts to find missing persons, in Japan, the system is also used to broadcast messages looking for missing people.

The melody of the Yuuyake Chime varies by municipality. The most commonly used melody is the children's song "Yuuyake Koyake," which means "Fading Evening Glow." In Japan, this song is also famous for evoking childhood memories. Some places use unique melodies, such as Tateyama City in Chiba Prefecture, which is the hometown of Yoshiki, the leader of the famous Japanese band X Japan. The melody played at the train station there is X Japan's "Forever Love," and the chime that rings at 5 p.m. is also the same song. This means that people in Tateyama City hear this song throughout the day.

Sukagawa City in Fukushima Prefecture broadcasts at 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. This is because Sukagawa is known as the sacred place of the manga "Ultraman." The city has even established a sister-city relationship with M78 Nebula, Ultraman's fictional home. Since February 2014, the city has played the "Ultra Seven" theme at 7 a.m. and the "Return of Ultraman" theme at 5:30 p.m.

This is certainly an interesting cultural practice, but what is most noteworthy is how the disaster prevention system has been integrated into daily life. In 2023, when a North Korean missile launch triggered sirens in Seoul, many people were confused about where the sound was coming from. There were also many areas where the sirens could not be heard properly, which was criticized by the media. Although Japan is a country frequently affected by disasters, the idea of using daily routines to ensure preparedness is something worth considering.