Warabe uta

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Warabe uta are traditional Japanese songs, similar to nursery rhymes. They are often sang as part of traditional children's games. They are described as a form of min'yo - traditional Japanese songs, usually sang without accompanying instruments.

The centuries-old lyrics are often incomprehensible to modern Japanese (especially to children who are singing it), while others can actually be quite sinister on close analysis. Like a lot of children's songs around the world, because people are used to them from an early age, they are often oblivious to the real meanings.

[edit] Examples of Warabe uta

[edit] Tōryanse

An example would be a warabe-uta known as "Tōryanse". It is often played as electronic tunes at Japanese pedestrian crossings to signal when it is safe to cross.

Tōryanse, tōryanse

Koko wa doko no hosomichi ja?

Tenjin-sama no hosomichi ja

Chotto 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:

Move on through, move on through

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

It's all fine on the way but returning is scary

It's scary but

Move on through, move on through

(In the olden days when infant mortality was high, people traditionally celebrated when a child survived to reach the age of 7.)

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.

[edit] Teru-teru-bōzu

A teru teru bōzu is a little traditional hand-made magic doll which brings sunshine. "Teru" is a Japanese verb which describes sunshine, and a "bōzu" is a buddhist monk. Children make teru-teru-bōzu out of tissue paper and a string and hang them from a window to wish for sunny weather. There is a famous warabe-uta which is about these little cute ghosts which you can see hanging everywhere on rainy days.

Teru-teru-bōzu, teru bōzu

Ashita tenki ni shite o-kure

Itsuka no yume no sora no yo ni

Haretara kin no suzu ageyo

Teru-teru-bōzu, teru bōzu

Ashita tenki ni shite o-kure

Watashi no negai wo kiita nara

Amai o-sake wo tanto nomasho

Teru-teru-bōzu, teru bōzu

Ashita tenki ni shite o-kure

Sore de mo kumotte naitetara

Sonata no kubi wo chon to kiru zo'

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu

Do make tomorrow a sunny day

Like the sky in a dream sometime

If it's sunny I'll give you a golden bell

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu

Do make tomorrow a sunny day

If you make my wish come true

We'll drink lots of sweet booze

Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu

Do make tomorrow a sunny day

but if it's cloudy and I find you crying (i.e. it's raining)

Then I shall chop your head off

The lyrics are allegedly about a story of a monk who promised farmers to stop rain and bring clear weather during a prolonged period of rain which was ruining crops. When the monk failed to bring sunshine, he was executed.