Chugoku Region Lullaby ( or chūgoku chihō no komoriuta) is a traditional folk song in Okayama Prefecture, Chugoku region, Japan, and is a well known Japanese cradle song.

General

The song is best known by the arrangement by Kosaku Yamada that was made in 1938. An instrumental version, played on a harp, historically marked the end of transmission at night on RCC, broadcasting to Hiroshima Prefecture. Up until 1987, a violin version was used on Sanyo Broadcasting, in Okayama and Kagawa, also signalling the end of daily programming. During the shutdown of analog television in Japan on 24 July 2011, RCC played the song for the final time on the station's analog signal shortly before the station switched off its analog transmitters.

Lyrics

Japanese

ねんねこ　しゃっしゃりませ 寝た子の　可愛さ 起きて　泣く子の ねんころろ　つらにくさ ねんころろん　ねんころろん ねんねこ　しゃっしゃりませ きょうは　二十五日さ あすは　この子の ねんころろ　宮詣り ねんころろん　ねんころろん 宮へ　詣った時 なんと言うて　拝むさ 一生　この子の ねんころろ　まめなように ねんころろん　ねんころろん

Romanized Japanese

Nenneko shasshari mase, Neta ko no kawaisa. Okite naku ko no Nenkororo, tsura nikusa. Nenkororon, nenkororon. Nenneko shasshari mase, Kyō wa nijūgo-nichi sa. Asu wa kono ko no, Nenkororo, Miya-mairi. Nenkororon, nenkororon. Miya e maitta toki, Nan to yūte ogamu sa. Issho kono ko no, Nenkororo, mame na yō ni. Nenkororon, nenkororon.

English translation

Hushabye, sleep! How cute is the face of the baby fallen asleep, The baby who is awake and cries, Hushabye, how hateful his face looks! Hushabye! Hushabye, sleep! Today is the 25th day of his birth. Tomorrow we will go, Hushabye, to the shrine, Hushabye! Arriving at the shrine, what will you pray for? Through his life, may he be, Hushabye, healthy! Hushabye!