Yoru ni Kakeru
"Yoru ni Kakeru" is the debut single by Japanese duo Yoasobi from their debut EP, The Book. Its music video was first uploaded via YouTube on November 16, 2019, before being officially released on December 15, 2019, by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The song was based on Mayo Hoshino's short story, An Invitation from Thanatos, won the Sony Music Award at the novel contest Monocon 2019, published on the creative writing social media Monogatary.com.
The song and story depict a man who is fascinated by a personification of death, Thanatos, who sent him a message "goodbye", and he tries to stop his girlfriend from suicide by jumping from height. The Hatsune Miku covered version of the song was included on member Ayase's EPs Ghost City Tokyo, and Mikunoyoasobi. The English version translated by Konnie Aoki, titled "Into the Night", was released on July 2, 2021, as Yoasobi's first English song. The song won Song of the Year at the 2020 [MTV Video Music Awards Japan|MTV Video Music Awards Japan] and landed Yoasobi a position as one of the Best 5 New Artists at the 35th Japan Gold Disc Award.
Reception
An accompanying music video for "Yoru ni Kakeru" was first published on Ayase's YouTube channel on November 16, 2019, and its view count surpassed 10 million in 5 months. Soon after its release, the song topped the popularity charts on Spotify and Line Music, and went viral on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Abema Times called the song a symbol of the beginning of streaming era in Japan."Yoru ni Kakeru" debuted at number 76 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 for the issue dated March 30, 2020, and peaked at number one two months later. The song topped the chart for three consecutive weeks, total six weeks. The song finished 2020 as the year's top Japan Hot 100 song, becoming the first single not released on CD to do so. On September 13, 2023, Billboard Japan reported that the song was the first ever to surpass 1 billion streams in the chart's history. On April 12, 2024, Oricon named the song the most streamed song in the Reiwa era so far with 859 million streams.
On May 28, 2025, "Yoru ni Kakeru" became the first song to exceed 1 billion streams since Oricon began tracking streams.
In October 2021, "Yoru ni Kakeru" was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. It exceeded 500 million on-demand streams in Japan, and went double diamond for one billion streams in April 2025, making it the first ever song to reach these milestones in RIAJ history. Apple Music ranked the song number 91 in the most streamed song on the platform of all time, the best-performing Japanese act.
Live performances and usage in media
On May 15, 2020, Yoasobi's member Ikura appeared on the YouTube channel The First Take to perform the re-arranged version of "Yoru ni Kakeru", as The Home Take. Yoasobi, as a duo with band members, gave the televised debut performance of "Yoru ni Kakeru" at 71st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen on December 31, filmed at Bookshelf Theater, Kadokawa Culture Center. It made the duo the first-ever artist to perform at the TV special without any album release. During their debut EP The Book promotion, they performed the song at CDTV Live! Live! on January 18, alongside "Encore", and Music Station on January 22."Yoru ni Kakeru" was used in several McDonald's Japan's advertisements, such as the 2024 McDouble commercial, and the 2025 "Tirori Mix" with Ado's "Yoru no Pierrot" and Hoshimachi Suisei's "Bibbidida". The song has been sampled on in "The Noise", performed by South Korean girl group Le Sserafim and Yoasobi.
Accolades
Track listing
- Digital download and streaming
- "Yoru ni Kakeru" – 4:21
- Digital download and streaming
- "Into the Night" – 4:22
- Digital download and streaming
- "Yoru ni Kakeru" – From the First Take – 4:08
Credits and personnel
- Ayase – songwriter, producer
- Ikura – vocals
- Takeruru – guitar
- Mayo Hoshino – based story writer
- Takayuki Saitō – vocal recording and reproduction|recording]
- Masahiko Fukui – mixing (recorded music)|mixing]
- Hidekazu Sakai – mastering
- Nina Ai – music video animation, cover artwork design
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
| Chart | Position |
| Global 200 singles of 2021|Global 200] | 55 |
| Japan | 3 |
| Japan Combined Singles | 5 |
| Chart | Position |
| Global Excl. US | 185 |
| Japan | 15 |
| Chart | Position |
| Japan | 34 |
| Chart | Position |
| French Japan Songs | 12 |
| Japan Songs | 8 |
| Japan | 50 |
| Singaporean Japan Songs | 3 |
| South African Japan Songs | 19 |
| South Korean Japan Songs | 12 |
| Thai Japan Songs | 20 |
| UK Japan Songs | 13 |
| US Japan Songs | 16 |
| Chart | Position |
| French Japan Songs | 10 |
| Japan Songs | 10 |
| Indian Japan Songs | 13 |
| Indonesian Japan Songs | 2 |
| Japan Streaming Songs | 74 |
| Malaysian Japan Songs | 3 |
| Singaporean Japan Songs | 1 |
| South Korean Japan Songs | 16 |
| Taiwanese Japan Songs | 8 |
| UK Japan Songs | 15 |
| US Japan Songs | 12 |