Nightingale_floor

Nightingale floors, or uguisubari (鴬張り) listen (help·info), were floors designed to make a chirping sound when walked upon. These floors were used in the hallways of some temples and palaces, the most famous example being Nijo Castle, in Kyoto, Japan. Dry boards naturally creak under pressure, but these floors were designed so that the flooring nails rubbed against a jacket or clamp, causing chirping noises. The squeaking floors were used as a security device, assuring that none could sneak through the corridors undetected.

One of the novels in the Tales of the Otori series is called "Across the Nightingale Floor". The title is explained in this excerpt from the book.

The "nightingale" the English name refers to is the Japanese Bush Warbler, uguisu.

External links

• Kagoshima Jingo Shrine
• Kyoto Travel: Nijo Castle
• Kansai Council page on special features in Japanese architecture (has audio clips of nightingale floors)
• Across The Nightingale Floor: by Lian Hearn

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