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"Tokiyo" (Japanese: 時よ, lit. 'Time') (Japanese pronunciation: [tokiꜜ jo]) is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter and musician Gen Hoshino from his fourth studio album, Yellow Dancer (2015). The song was written and produced by Hoshino as commercial song for the distance learning program U-CAN [ja]. The album's opening track, it is an upbeat pop song centered on synthesizer with a prevalent string arrangement, featuring a more Japanese sound on an album with heavy influences from black music. The song's lyrics references the passing of time, with a forward-facing message on the lack of meaning in life. Written at the start of 2015, Hoshino drew influence from Yellow Magic Orchestra's "Mad Pierrot" (1978) and utilized kigo in the lyrics to represent the four seasons.

"Tokiyo" was received positively by album reviewers, who enjoyed its poppy composition. The song peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, with 19 chart weeks, and received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for digital sales. An accompanying music video was directed by Kazuaki Seki [ja] and filmed at Shōnandai Station in Fujisawa, Kanagawa. It features Hoshino dressed as a train conductor, performing choreography alongside a masked female dancer. The song was debuted live during the Yellow Voyage tour promoting Yellow Dancer, with Elevenplay performing the music video's choreography. In the 2017 Continues tour – a tour themed around connecting music history – it was performed after a cover of "Mad Pierrot", representing the theme.

Background and writing

Hoshino announced Yellow Dancer, his fourth studio album, on October 14, 2015. He initially only revealed select songs from its track listing, such as singles or previously previewed commission songs like the Mezamashi Saturday  [ja] theme song "Week End". "Tokiyo" was announced alongside the full track listing on October 28. It was placed as the album's lead track, followed by "Week End". Seven days after the release of Yellow Dancer by Speedstar Records on December 2, 2015, it was announced that "Tokiyo" would appear in a commercial for the distance learning program U-CAN [ja] starting January 9, 2016, with Hoshino to also star in-person.

Hoshino wrote and produced "Tokiyo". Along its announcement as a U-CAN song, Hoshino commented that he wanted the song to represent the inevitable passing of time, as well as the strength and emotions of people who live in it. He wrote it at the start of 2015, with "Mad Pierrot" (1978) by Yellow Magic Orchestra as a major influence. Hoshino envisioned an analog synthesizer sound alongside a stringed melody, with percussions brought out by the synth. He constructed the lyrics simultaneously with his acting role as an obstetrician on the television drama Dr. Storks (2015–17), which he thought was an unconscious influence; for example in the second verse with the word aka-chan (lit. "baby"). Hoshino wanted to represent all four seasons of the year in the lyrics and researched various kigo, literally meaning seasonal words. He highlighted the third verse's "Yūdachi ni nureta kimi o" ("How you got drenched in a sudden evening shower"), in which yūdachi (lit. "evening shower [ja]") represents summer. The song's ending with "bye-bye!" was imagined in a light-hearted meaning, similarly to someone saying goodbye to a person they will see again next week.

Composition and lyrics

"Tokiyo" has a runtime of 4 minutes and 15 seconds. It is set in a fast tempo of 176 beats per minute and primarily composed in the key of F major with a switch to G-flat major in the ending, according to sheet music published by Yamaha Music Entertainment. Hoshino performs on vocals and guitar, with Eiko Ishibashi featuring on synthesizer and background vocals, Ryosuke Nagaoka on electric guitar, Hama Okamoto on bass, and Noriyasu Kawamura on drums and cowbell. An ensemble of ten conducted by regular collaborator Mio Okamura play violin, viola, and cello. Takahiro Uchida is credited as the track's mastering engineer.

Musically, "Tokiyo" is an upbeat, pop song centered on the electric sound of Ishibashi's synthesizer, backed by Okamura's prevalent string arrangement and Hoshino's fast-paced vocals. It has a more Japanese style in comparison to other tracks on the heavily black music-inspired album. Takanori Kuroda for Cinra described the synth as oriental and reminiscent to the electronic music of early-era Yellow Magic Orchestra, and CDJournal reviewers found the track's melody Japanese-like. Tomoyuki Mori, analyzing Yellow Dancer for Real Sound, felt that the song's flat beat, hard bassline, and "crazy" stringed instrumentation provided a different perspective of the album's concept of "black-based yellow music", whereas Tower Plus reviewer Naho Sadahiro identified "Tokiyo" as without audible black music influence. Akimasa Munekata, also a writer at Real Sound, wrote that "Tokiyo" had a different impression than standard rock music, with a guitar that rarely appears at the front of the sound.

The lyrics to "Tokiyo" are forward-facing with a message of time passing without meaning, matched by the song's fast melody, according to analysis from reviewers at CDJournal. Mori at Real Sound held a similar interpretation, analyzing the line "Toki yo, bokura nosete" / "Tsuzuiteku, imi mo naku" ("Time goes on, moving us forward" / "Without meaning") as a comparison of the lack of particular deep meaning in life to the reasonless passing of time. Sadahiro noted the lyrics' allusion to the four seasons and felt that the final line of "bye-bye!" contrasted to earlier lyrics such as "Ugoki dase, hari o mawase" / "Tsugi no kimi ni tsungare" ("Move and rotate the hands of the clock" / "So that it will lead to your next self"). The song connects to "Friend Ship", the final song on Yellow Dancer, which reintroduces an oriental sound with focus on a synthesizer. Sadahiro noted a lyrical connection between the tracks, with "bye-bye!" matching to "Itsuka mata aeru kana" ("Maybe we will meet again someday"), the final line on "Friend Ship".

Reception

"Tokiyo" was received positively by album reviewers. Real Sound's Mori wrote that the song gives a taste of Hoshino's specialty in "crazy stringed sound" and called its "blunt" lyrics the true essence of Gen Hoshino. A short review of Yellow Dancer by Hirama of Tower Records praised the melody on "Tokiyo" as catchy, and highlighted its track order with "Week End" and "Sun". Tomoko Ishisumi of Skream! magazine felt that "Tokiyo", the acoustic "Kuchizuke", and the instrumental "Nerd Strut" – featuring a bass guitar performance from Yellow Magic Orchestra's Haruomi Hosono – formed a "distinct point" in the album. A review of the song by the staff of CDJournal described "Tokiyo" as a good-feeling pop tune with a memorable Japanese-style melody, featuring a warm tone provided by the string section.

Commercially, "Tokiyo" opened on Billboard Japan's Hot 100 chart dated December 9, 2015, placing at number 62. It reached its best position during the week of January 13, 2016, when it rose to number 21. In total, it charted for 19 weeks, making its final appearance on the chart dated January 18, 2017. In February 2017, "Tokiyo" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for 100,000 digital sales.

Music video

Kazuaki Seki [ja] – who had previously been in charge of the video for the album's single "Sun" (2015) – directed the music video for "Tokiyo", which released on November 30, 2015. It features Hoshino dressed as a train conductor and an uncredited, masked female dancer performing together. The duo appear at the railway platform and paid area of an empty metro station, with choreographic references to railway crossings and the salutes of conductors. According to an official location guide published by Sagami Railway, the music video was filmed at Shōnandai Station in Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan. Originally, the video was intersected by an album trailer advertising the limited edition DVD contents of Yellow Dancer; however, in 2024, this advertisement (and onces on other videos by Hoshino) were removed, alongside the addition of toggleable audio commentary by Hoshino and his frequent video collaborator Santa Yamagishi. Instead, the commercial was compiled onto the video "First-Run Limited-Edition DVD Trailer Collection".

The video was received positively by critics. Rockin'On Japan's Tomohiro Ogawa listed it amongst Hoshino's top ten music videos, calling it "catchy" and encaptulating of the song's poppy style with camera movements that match its feeling of rush. Ogawa felt it was "typical Hoshino" to include a bit of grotesqueness, noting the dimly lit subway and masked female dancer. Hirama of Tower Records Japan praised the video within his review of Yellow Dancer, writing that it would put listeners' hearts into movement. Haruka Wakada at Real Sound wrote that the video continues a theme from the "Sun" music video of turning everyday locations into dance stages.

Live performances

Hoshino performed "Tokiyo" during his Yellow Voyage tour, the headlining tour for Yellow Dancer, and featured it on the live video album Live Tour: Yellow Voyage (2016). On setlists, it was the final song before the encore. He performed the song's choreography alongside dance troupe Elevenplay, ending with confetti shot across the stage as Hoshino moved to salute. Nobuaki Ozura for Excite Japan praised the choreography, writing it "far surpasses the realms of possible imitation". A report of the Osaka-jō Hall performance by Natalie.mu staff opined that "Tokiyo" and "Week End" created a happy atmosphere before Hoshino departed the stage in preparation for the encore. During the second and final day of Hoshino's Yellow Pacific concert in February 2017, "Tokiyo" was featured as the second of three songs on the encore. Alongside a cover of Akira Fuse's "Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī" (1979), Hoshino performed the song as his alter ego character Akira Nise, his first time singing two songs as the character. Again dancing to the music video's choreography, Hoshino sang the song with a louder and longer tone, indicative of Nise.

Hoshino's 2017 tour Continues' theme of connecting music history was inspired by the influence of "Mad Perriot" on "Tokiyo". Setlists opened with Martin Denny's "Firecracker" (1959), the song which inspired Yellow Magic Orchestra's Hosono to form the band and subsequently write "Mad Pierrot" on their eponymous debut album. Hoshino sang "Mad Pierrot" as the concert's twelfth song, moving directly into a performance of "Tokiyo" alongside Elevenplay. Real Sound's Haruka Wakada felt that the song's lyrics were announcing of the concert's theme. During the 2019 dome tour promoting his fifth album Pop Virus (2018), Hoshino sang "Tokiyo" during an encore after a closing introduction of his touring members. Singing, Hoshino performed the song's choreography in symmetry to Akira Nise, played by dancer Shingo Okamoto [ja]. Performances of the song were included on the respective video releases, Live Tour: Continues (2017) and Dome Tour: Pop Virus at Tokyo Dome (2019).

Personnel

Music and production credits adapted from Apple Music; music video staff adapted from the booklet to Music Video Tour 2010–2017.

Performance and production personnel

• Gen Hoshino – vocals, guitar, songwriter, producer
• Ryosuke Nagaoka – electric guitar
• Hama Okamoto – bass guitar
• Eiko Ishibashi – synthesizer, background vocals
• Noriyasu Kawamura – drums, cowbell
• Mio Okamura – violin
• Yu Sugino – violin
• Kiyo Kido – violin
• Osamu Iyoku – violin
• Miho Shimokawa – violin
• Motoko Fujiie – violin
• Mikiyo Kikuchi – viola
• Reiichi Tateizumi – viola
• Ayano Kasahara – cello
• Toshiyuki Muranaka – cello
• Takahiro Uchida – mastering engineer

Music video staff

• Kazuaki Seki – director
• Takahiko Kajima – producer
• Masatoshi Toyono – cameraman
• Ryōhei Watanabe  – lighting
• Saki Nakamura – production designer
• Mikiko – choreography
• Takakusagi Go – hair, make-up for Hoshino
• Takako Uchiyama – hair, make-up for cast
• Hidero Nakagane – styling

Charts

Certifications

Notes

1. The booklet included with Hoshino's video album Music Video Tour 2010–2017 lists the cast to "Tokiyo" as "secret" (内緒, naisho).

References

1. "星野源、2年7カ月ぶり新アルバム「Yellow Dancer」リリース決定" [Gen Hoshino to Release First Album in Two Years with Yellow Dancer]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). October 14, 2015. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
2. "星野源ニューアルバム初回盤に22曲入り「ひとりエッジ」ライブ映像集" [Gen Hoshino Will Include 22-Song "Hitori Edge" Live Footage in First Editions to New Album]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). October 28, 2015. Archived from the original on February 20, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
3. ^ "星野 源 / Yellow Dancer" [Gen Hoshino / Yellow Dancer]. CDJournal [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
4. ^ "星野源「時よ」が本人出演ユーキャンCMソングに" [Gen Hoshino's "Tokiyo" to Feature in U-CAN Commercial Starring Hoshino Himself]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). December 9, 2015. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
5. ^ "Tokiyo – Song by Gen Hoshino (from Yellow Dancer)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on March 22, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
6. ^ Hoshino, Gen (December 2015). "2015年の圧倒的名盤『Yellow Dancer』 その全曲を語りつくす完全保存大特集!" [Yellow Dancer - Complete Special Feature Going Into Every Song on 2015's Masterpiece Album!]. Musica [ja] (Interview) (in Japanese). Vol. 104. p. 37. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
7. ^ "星野源、自身の音楽ルーツ込めたツアー「Continues」6万人熱狂のたまアリで幕" [Gen Hoshino Expresses His Musical Roots in Tour Continues - Closes at the Saitama Arena to Audience of 60,000]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). September 11, 2017. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
8. "Yellow Dancer – Album by Gen Hoshino". Apple Music. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
9. "時よ" [Tokiyo] (sheet music) (in Japanese). Yamaha Music Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024 – via Print-Gakufu.
10. ^ Kuroda, Takanori (December 1, 2015). "一躍お茶の間の存在となった星野源。音楽家として何がすごい?" [Gen Hoshino Suddenly Became a Household Name. What Makes the Artist So Great?]. Cinra [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
11. "星野源、「時よ」MVでダンサブル車掌になる" [Gen Hoshino Becomes a Danceful Train Conductor in "Tokiyo" Music Video]. Barks [ja] (in Japanese). November 30, 2015. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
12. ^ Sadahiro, Naho (June 12, 2020). "星野源『Yellow Dancer』わたしたちの想像をかるくダンスしながら飛び越えてくる大名盤" [Gen Hoshino's Yellow Dancer Is A Masterwork That Lightly Dances On and Exceeds Our Imaginations]. Tower Plus (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Mikiki.
13. ^ Munekata, Akimasa (December 14, 2015). "星野源が『Yellow Dancer』で成し遂げた快挙　チャート1位作の音楽的達成を読む" [The Achievements of Gen Hoshino on Yellow Dancer: Let's Take a Musical Look at the Number One Charting Work]. Real Sound [ja] (in Japanese). p. 1. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
14. ^ Mori, Tomoyuki (December 1, 2015). "星野源の新作『Yellow Dancer』が心と体に響くワケーー収録曲の音楽的アプローチから分析" [Why Gen Hoshino's New Yellow Dancer Reaches the Heart and Body: A Musical Dissection of the Track Listing]. Real Sound [ja] (in Japanese). p. 2. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
15. ^ Hirama. "Yellow Dancer <通常盤>" [Yellow Dancer (Regular Edition)] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
16. "Nerd Strut (Instrumental) – Song by Gen Hoshino (from Yellow Dancer)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on March 22, 2024. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
17. Ishisumi, Tomoko (December 2015). "『Yellow Dancer』 - Disc Review" [Yellow Dancer - Disc Review]. Skream! (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
18. ^ Citations regarding the chart history of "Tokiyo" on the Billboard Japan Hot 100:
    • "Billboard Japan Hot 100 - 2015/12/09". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). January 13, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2024. – "Tokiyo" places at number 62
    • "Billboard Japan Hot 100 - 2016/01/13". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). January 13, 2016. Archived from the original on October 12, 2023. Retrieved March 26, 2024. – "Tokiyo" places at number 21
    • "Billboard Japan Hot 100 - 2017/01/18". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). January 18, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2024. – "Tokiyo" places at number 93 and shows 19 total chart weeks
19. ^ "Japanese digital single certifications – 星野 源 – 時よ" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2017年2月 on the drop-down menu
20. "星野源、New ALよりダンスシーン満載のMV'時よ'公開＆「ひとりエッジ」の映像も" [Gen Hoshino Releases Dance-Filled Scenes and Trailer to Hitori Edge Tour in Music Video to New Album Song "Tokiyo"]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). November 30, 2015. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
21. ^ "Music Video Tour 2010–2017: Yellow Dancer music video booklet" (PDF) (in Japanese). Speedstar Records. May 17, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
22. ^ "【10リスト】星野源、音楽と映像へのこだわりと想像力の賜物の傑作MV10本はこれだ!" [(Top 10) These Are the Best Gen Hoshino Music Videos That Showcase His Imagination and Passion for Sound and Video]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). March 17, 2020. Archived from the original on June 6, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
23. ^ "車掌姿の星野源が無人の地下鉄駅でダンス、関和亮監督の新PV" [A Conductor-Dressed Gen Hoshino Dances in Empty Metro Station in New Music Video, Directed by Kazuaki Seki]. Cinra [ja] (in Japanese). November 30, 2015. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
24. Akino, Aya (June 1, 2017). "星野源のダンスを'踊りたくなる'理由 「恋」「Sun」「化物」「夢の外へ」の共通点を考察" [Why Gen Hoshino's Choreography Makes You Want to Dance: Taking a Look at the Similarities Between "Koi", "Sun", "Bakemono", and "Yume no Soto e"]. Real Sound [ja] (in Japanese). p. 1. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
25. "過去の主なロケ実績一覧" [List of Past Notable Uses as Filming Location]. Sotetsu Location Guide (in Japanese). Sagami Railway. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2024. Click 2015年
26. "星野源、MVのオーディオ・コメンタリーが公開スタート" [Gen Hoshino Uploads Audio Commentary to Music Videos] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
27. Wakada, Haruka (December 20, 2016). "星野源はなぜ'踊る'のか? 逃げ恥「恋ダンス」で示した、新たなポップスター像" [Why Does Gen Hoshino Dance? The New Image of a Pop Star Shown with the Koi Dance]. Real Sound [ja] (in Japanese). p. 1. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
28. "星野 源 / Live Tour 'Yellow Voyage'" [Gen Hoshino / Live Tour: Yellow Voyage]. CDJournal [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 11, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
29. ^ Ozura, Nobuaki (February 5, 2016). "星野源 新作『Yellow Dancer』を引っ提げたツアーをレポート / ライブレポート" [Report of the Tour to Gen Hoshino's New Yellow Dancer / Live Report] (in Japanese). Excite Music. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
30. Hirokazu, Koike (March 22, 2016). "星野源、極上のエンタメツアー「Yellow Voyage」大団円! 武道館公演を完全レポート" [Final Day to Gen Hoshino's Ultimate Yellow Voyage! Full Report of Budokan Show]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
31. ""ニセ明"が飛んだ! 星野源「Yellow Voyage」ツアー城ホールで大団円" [With a Flying Nise Akira, Gen Hoshino Ends Yellow Voyage Tour at the Osaka Jo Hall]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). March 22, 2016. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
32. Ozura, Nobuaki (February 1, 2017). "星野源 会場全体で'恋ダンス'も! 2017年初ライブは大盛況 / ライブレポート・セトリ" [Gen Hoshino Livens Up the Stage in First 2017 Concert, Putting the Entire Venue Into the Koi Dance! / Live Report & Setlist] (in Japanese). Excite Music. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
33. Wakada, Haruka (February 8, 2017). "星野源は日本のポップミュージックの歴史を前に進めるーー新春ライブ『Yellow Pacific』レポ" [Gen Hoshino Moves to the Front of Japanese Pop Music History - Report of the Spring Concert Yellow Pacific]. Real Sound [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
34. Wakada, Haruka (September 28, 2017). "星野源は'音楽の歴史'をつないでいく　アリーナツアー『Continues』追加公演を観て" [Gen Hoshino Connects with Music History - Look at the Extra Shows of the Arena Tour Continues]. Real Sound [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
35. "星野源、33万人動員5大ドームツアーで見せた「Pop Virus」の世界" [The World of Pop Virus Shown on Gen Hoshino's Five Dome Tour]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). March 11, 2019. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
36. "星野源 / Live Tour 'Continues' [2DVD+ブックレット] <初回限定盤>" [Gen Hoshino / Live Tour: Continues (2 DVDs + Booklet) (First Limited Edition)] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
37. "星野源 / Dome Tour 'Pop Virus' at Tokyo Dome <通常盤>" [Gen Hoshino / Dome Tour: Pop Virus at Tokyo Dome (Regular Edition)] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.

• Japan
• Pop music
• 2010s

• Data from Wikidata

• 2015 songs
• Gen Hoshino songs
• Songs in Japanese
• Songs used as jingles