Sung as part of a traditional game where 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 being played at Japanese pedestrian crossings is an analogy to this game, i.e., it is safe to cross until the music stops. —————————————— "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." — Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV) —————————————— Lyrics: Romaji | Kanji | kana | English Tooryanse, tooryanse Koko wa doko no hosomichi jya Tenjin-sama no hosomichi jya Chitto tooshite kudashanse Goyou no nai mono tooshasenu Kono ko no nanatsu no oiwai ni Ofuda wo osame ni mairimasu Iki wa yoi yoi, kaeri wa kowai Kowai nagara mo Tooryanse, tooryanse 通りゃんせ　通りゃんせ ここはどこの　細道じゃ 天神さまの　細道じゃ ちっと通して　下しゃんせ 御用のないもの　通しゃせぬ この子の七つの　御祝いに 御札を納めに　参ります 行きはよいよい　帰りはこわい こわいながらも 通りゃんせ　通りゃんせ とおりゃんせ、とおりゃんせ ここ　は　どこ　の　ほそみち　じゃ てんじんさま　の　ほそみち　じゃ ちっと　とおして　くだしゃんせ ごよう　の　ない　もの　とおしゃせぬ この　こ　の　ななつ　の　おいわい　に おふだ　を　おさめ　に　まいります いき　は　よい　よい、かえり　は　こわい こわい　ながら　も とおりゃんせ、とおりゃんせ You may go in, You may pass through Which way is this narrow pathway? This is the narrow pathway of the Tenjin shrine Please allow me to go through; Those without good reason shall not pass To celebrate the 7th birthday of this child We've come to dedicate our offering; Going in is easy, but returning is scary It's scary, but You may go in, You may pass through