Evening Chimes in Japan

Going-home music on the air by the disaster warning broadcasting system


　The Introduction of a cultural practice for foreigners living outside Japan.

　What is the sound which you can hear in everywhere Japan in the evening? - Twilight chimes for children, Daily tests of siren and alert system.

　Do you know the similar culture and daily routine in your country such as above, or church bells?

Cultural Dimension of musical chimes

  1. Summary - What is the evening chimes for in Japan?

When you visit to Japan, you may notice to hear the sound of music in evening from somewhere. This is what the article mention to.

Almost all of the Japanese local governments, which are cities, towns, villages, and wards arranged under the prefecture and nation, broadcast the musical chimes in evening everyday for the below purpose:

  1. To let children know the evening time and encourage to go home earlier

  2. Daily testing of disaster-warning-broadcasting system and its speakers

  3. Simply as a time signal for local people

This is what the evening musical chimes are in Japan.


Here is some samples of the twilight

2. The variety of musical chimes

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3. The origin of musical chimes - The experience of W.W.II and radical growth of economy

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4. How does the Japanese people recognize? - A primitive experience in their childhood

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Technical Dimension of musical chimes

  1. Current market share of the types

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2. The types of musical chimes - "electric" tubular bells, digital sound chips, and PCM recordings

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3. The media for broadcasting

outside-installed speakers, individual receivers, radio transmission, IP transmission

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