Toys Dancing Cha Cha Cha

Toys Dancing Cha Cha Cha (Japanese: おもちゃのチャチャチャ, romanized: omocha no cha cha cha) is a Japanese nursery rhyme written by Akiyuki Nosaka and Osamu Yoshioka, as well as composed by Nobuyoshi Koshibe [ja]. It was slected as Children's Song Award in 5th Japan Record Awards and Nihon no Uta Hyakusen.

Etymology

"Cha Cha Cha" (チャチャチャ) combines two Japanese words of Omocha (おもちゃ, toy) and Cha-cha-cha (チャチャチャ, a dance). It depicts toys are dancing at night.

History

The song was first played as an interlude in Yamaha Time (ヤマハ・タイム) of Fuji TV, aired in 1959. It was originally written by Torirō Miki [ja], later revised by Akiyuki Nosaka and composed by Nobuyoshi Koshibe [ja]. The interlude version lyrics was different to the current version, while Osamu Yoshioka later rewrote the lyrics. The Yoshioka version was later featured in the "song of month" (今月の歌) segment of Uta no Ehon [ja], a children TV program of NHK General TV. It was first sung by Yoshiko Mari [ja] and Keiko Nakano [ja]. Mari's single of the song sold 40,000 copies in a month at the time.

The song was selected as Children's Song Award in 5th Japan Record Awards. It was also included in a music sheet collection of NHK Minna no Uta (NHKみんなのうた), released by NHK in 1966, with the lyrics rewritten. It became the current version the people known today and song has been aired in NHK even after Uta no Ehon was changed to Okaasan to Issho. All Uta no Onēsan [ja] and Uta no Onīsan [ja] performers sing the song.

Since Yoshioka, Koshibe, and Nosaka died in 2010, 2014, and 2015 respectively, the song is still in copyright term and protected by copyright.

Covers

Various covers of the song in foreign languages exist. The first known English cover was Toys Dancing Cha Cha Cha by Henry V. Drennan [ja], released in 1979. and The Toy Cha Cha by Greg Irwin, as well as Toys Dance The Cha Cha Cha in 2005., etc.

Reception

Toys Dancing Cha Cha Cha was selected for the Children's Song Award in 5th Japan Record Awards. It was also included in Nihon no Uta Hyakusen, a collection run by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. According to Tamahiyo [ja], a magazine for pregnant women and families published by Benesse, Toys Dancing Cha Cha Cha rank first among songs mothers wish their children to listen to.

References

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 読売新聞 1999, pp. 59.
  2. ↑ "音乐学院学生赴山东省第二实验幼儿园开展合唱教学实践 暨爱乐艺术团消夏音乐会圆满举行-济南大学音乐学院". music.ujn.edu.cn. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
  3. ↑ 読売新聞 1999, pp. 63.
  4. ↑ 童謡「おもちゃのチャチャチャ」の解説、制作年を知りたい。. 伊丹市立図書館 (in Japanese). 2014-12-07. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
  5. ↑ 読売新聞 1999, pp. 65.
  6. 1 2 "《螢火蟲之墓》作者野坂昭如去世 日經中文網". zh.cn.nikkei.com. 2015-12-10. 1963年，他參與作詞的童謠《玩具的恰恰舞》獲得日本唱片大賞童謠賞。
  7. ↑ NHK出版, pp. 56.
  8. ↑ 1979年發售，『英語で歌う日本の童謡 手をたたきましょう/かたつむり/おもちゃのチャチャチャ/いぬのおまわりさん』（日本コロムビア EK-31，歌：HENRY V. DRENNAN [ja]、REGINA M. DOI，及青葉インターナショナルスクール児童）
  9. ↑ 1997年4月21日發售，「ハッピー・チャイルド!〜英語でうたおう　こどものうた　みんなのうた〜」（歌：グレッグ・アーウィン、ボイスランド・キッズ）
  10. ↑ 『えいごどうよううたのえほん Let's sing！ きいてうたってえいごのうた16曲 楽しく歌って英語が身につく！』Nagaokashoten [ja]、2005年、34-35頁。ISBN 978-4-522-48471-5。
  11. ↑ 親子で歌いつごう 日本の歌百選. www.bunka.go.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2008-07-02. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
  12. ↑ 株式会社ベネッセホールディングス (2010-04-16). たまひよが「ママ向け無料コンサート」を北九州市、長崎市で実施 コンサート前の調査で“子どもにきかせたい曲No.1”となった「おもちゃのチャチャチャ」など、 当日は母子で楽しめる曲を演奏します. PR TIMES. Retrieved 2026-04-10.

Bibliography

  • 読売新聞文化部 (1999). 唱歌・童謡ものがたり. 岩波書店. ISBN 4000233408.
  • 日本放送協会. "おもちゃのチャチャチャ". NHKみんなのうた. Vol. 第4集. 日本放送出版協会.