Last time I posted about a sound we hear outside each night - the fire prevention volunteers.
There's another sound that was a mystery until recently, when one of Tommy's school friends explained it.
Every evening at 5:00 pm we hear a short (maybe 10 seconds) instrumental tune being played, from a loudspeaker. It sounds a bit like the music on a carousel, but it's slower and gentler.
It turns out that the tune is a signal for children in the neighborhood to go home (presumably for dinner).
Children of all ages here freely walk around, play in the park, and take trains or busses home alone to and from school. It is not unusual for me to be on a bus and see just one young child traveling alone. This is perfectly natural here and not considered unsafe.
So, the 5:00 pm broadcasted song indicates a sort of curfew. I imagine that Japanese Moms are home cooking and they know that when the song is played, their children will hear it and immediately get home. Sounds like a great system to me!
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