Traditional fire warning rhythm
Monday 30 December 2002
Jeremy Hedley, an Australian in Tokyo, has posted a sound clip on his blog. He writes:
During winter nights the traditional Japanese reminder to take care with fire and kerosene heaters and so on can be heard throughout the neighbourhood. The warning is produced by striking together two blocks of wood. Volunteers stroll around tapping out the rhythm — clack … clack … clackclack — which echos through the cold, a woodblock public service announcement. You can hear them streets away. Watch out for fires! Be careful with those heaters! Have a safe night, everyone.
Go to Jeremy’s site and listen. It carried me away to a different place and season.
If I had a sound recorder I would give you my summer night soundscape: Outside the kitchen window, flying foxes (Pteropus bats) stuffing themselves with mangos, backed by the white noise of cicadas.