Tōryanse

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Tōryanse is the name of the traditional Japanese children's tune (Warabe uta). It is the most common choice for music played by traffic lights in Japan when it is safe to cross.

The words to the song are:

Tōryanse, tōryanse

Koko wa doko no hosomichi ja?

Tenjin-sama no hosomichi ja

Chitto tōshite kudashanse

Goyō no nai mono tōshasenu

Kono ko no nanatsu no oiwai ni

O-fuda wo osame ni mairimasu

Iki wa yoi yoi, kaeri wa kowai

Kowai nagara mo

Tōryanse, tōryanse

Translation:

Let me pass, let me pass

What is this narrow pathway here?

It's the narrow pathway of the Tenjin shrine

Please allow me to pass through

Those without good reason shall not pass

To celebrate this child's 7th birthday

I've come to dedicate my offering

Going in may be fine, may be fine but returning would be scary

It's scary but

Let me pass, let me pass

There are many theories to the origin of the song, but all agree that it is a portrayal of an exchange between a civilian and a guard manning some sort of a checkpoint - at Kawagoe Castle according to one theory. In the olden days when infant mortality was high, people celebrated when a child survived to reach the age of 7 (as well as 3 and 5 - see Shichi-Go-San), and ordinary people were only allowed to visit the shrine wihin the castle compound for special occasions.

This particular warabe-uta is sung as part of a traditional game identical to "London Bridge Is Falling Down". Two children facing each other link their hands to form an arch 'checkpoint', and the remaining children walk through underneath in a line (and back round again in circles). The child who happens to be under the arch when the song finishes is then 'caught'.

The tune being played at Japanese pedestrian crossings is an analogy to this game i.e. it is safe to cross until the music stops.