Warabe uta

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

The centuries-old lyrics are often incomprehensible to modern Japanese (especially to children who are singing it), and others can be quite sinister on close analysis. Like many 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.

"Tōryanse" is often played as an electronic tune at pedestrian crossings in Japan to signal when it is safe to cross.

Japanese:
通りゃんせ　通りゃんせ
ここはどこの　細通じゃ

ちっと通して　下しゃんせ

この子の七つの　お祝いに
お札を納めに　まいります

こわいながらも
通りゃんせ　通りゃんせ

Romaji:
Tōryanse, tōryanse
Koko wa doko no hosomichi ja?

Chitto tōshite kudashanse

Kono ko no nanatsu no oiwai ni
O-fuda wo osame ni mairimasu

Kowai nagara mo
Tōryanse, tōryanse

Translation:
Let me pass, let me pass
What is this narrow pathway here?

Please allow me to pass through

To celebrate this child's 7th birthday
I've come to dedicate my offering

It's scary but
Let me pass, let me pass

(When infant mortality was high, people traditionally celebrated when a child survived to reach the age of 7. See Shichigosan)

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 is played at Japanese pedestrian crossings by analogy with this game, i.e., it is safe to cross until the music stops.

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Wikipedia