Yuuyake koyake (1923) – 夕焼小焼

A Song that Continues to Signal Evening

While many old dōyō (children’s songs) and shōka (school songs) have disappeared from music textbooks and are gradually being forgotten, Yuuyake Koyake remains widely beloved. One reason is that many municipalities use it as a time signal melody to remind children playing outside that it is time to go home. In residential neighborhoods, when this melody flows from the speakers at dusk, people instinctively feel, “It’s time to return home.” This custom has been naturally handed down across generations, to both children and parents.

The Lyricist NAKAMURA Ukou and the Sunset Scene

The lyricist, Nakamura Ukou, originally aspired to be a children’s story writer. However, the principal of the elementary school where he worked opposed this, believing it would interfere with his duties as an educator, and thus he turned to songwriting.
During his commute from his home in Ongata Village to Hachiōji Station—a journey of about 16 kilometers on foot—Ukō would often be moved by the evening sky. It is said that the sunset he saw on his way home inspired the lyrics, blending with memories of his childhood and the scenery of his native village. Along the way stood many temples, and the sound of their bells must have echoed with the twilight.

The Song’s Struggle to Reach the Public

It took four years for this piece to finally reach composer KUSAKAWA Shin after Ukou wrote the lyrics in 1919. The reasons for this delay remain unclear. The song was eventually published in 1923, but the Great Kantou Earthquake that struck the same year destroyed nearly all printed copies. Fortunately, thirteen copies that had been distributed to those involved survived, and the song was republished in 1929, barely managing to pass down to the present day.

The Nostalgic Sound of the Yonanuki Scale

Another reason Yuuyake Koyake has endured for so long lies in its distinctive musical scale. The song uses Japan’s traditional yonanuki scale (a pentatonic scale omitting the 4th and 7th notes—F and B in C major). This scale creates a nostalgic, bittersweet sound that resonates deeply with listeners. Its tones, perfectly matched with the twilight scenery, have made the melody one that transcends generations.

The word “yonanuki” means the old Japanese way of reading numbers: Hi, Fu, Mi, Yo, Itsutsu, Mutsu, Nanatsu… without the 4 and 7 sounds.

A Song Etched in People’s Evening Memories

Thus, “Yuuyake Koyake” has become more than just a school song—it is a “song of dusk” that has woven itself into the fabric of Japanese daily life. Even today, when the melody plays in residential neighborhoods as a time signal, many people are reminded of their childhood walk home, or the evenings they spent playing with friends under the glowing sky. The song continues to live on in everyday life, making it one of the most widely cherished douyo in Japan.

It was also selected as one of the “100 Best Japanese Songs.