Nightingale floors (鴬張り or 鶯張り, uguisubari)listenⓘ are floors that make a chirping sound when walked upon. These floors were used in the hallways of some temples and palaces, the most famous example being Nijō Castle, in Kyoto, Japan. Dry boards naturally creak under pressure, but these floors were built in a way that the flooring nails rub against a jacket or clamp, causing chirping noises. It is unclear if the design was intentional. It seems that, at least initially, the effect arose by chance. An information sign in Nijō castle states that "The singing sound is not actually intentional, stemming rather from the movement of nails against clumps in the floor caused by wear and tear over the years". Legend has it that the squeaking floors were used as a security device, assuring that no one could sneak through the corridors undetected.[1]
Uguisu (鶯 or 鴬) refers to the Japanese bush warbler. The latter segment bari (張り) comes from haru (張る), which can be used to mean "to lay/board (flooring)", as in the expression yukaita wo haru (床板を張る) meaning "to board a/the floor".[3] The verb haru becomes nominalized as hari and voiced through rendaku to become bari. In this form it refers to the method of boarding, as in other words like herinbōnbari (ヘリンボーン張り), which refers to flooring laid in a Herringbone pattern. As such, uguisubari means "Warbler boarding".
Constructionedit
Nightingale floors use nails to make a chirping noise under pressure
The floors were made from dried boards. Upside-down V-shaped joints move within the boards when pressure is applied.[4]
Examplesedit
The following locations incorporate nightingale floors:
nightingale, floor, 鴬張り, 鶯張り, uguisubari, listen, floors, that, make, chirping, sound, when, walked, upon, these, floors, were, used, hallways, some, temples, palaces, most, famous, example, being, nijō, castle, kyoto, japan, boards, naturally, creak, under, p. Nightingale floors 鴬張り or 鶯張り uguisubari listen are floors that make a chirping sound when walked upon These floors were used in the hallways of some temples and palaces the most famous example being Nijō Castle in Kyoto Japan Dry boards naturally creak under pressure but these floors were built in a way that the flooring nails rub against a jacket or clamp causing chirping noises It is unclear if the design was intentional It seems that at least initially the effect arose by chance An information sign in Nijō castle states that The singing sound is not actually intentional stemming rather from the movement of nails against clumps in the floor caused by wear and tear over the years Legend has it that the squeaking floors were used as a security device assuring that no one could sneak through the corridors undetected 1 The Nijō Castle a Historic Monument of Ancient KyotoDaikaku ji nightingale floor source source The sound of a person walking on the nightingale floor of Daikaku ji in Kyoto Problems playing this file See media help The English name nightingale refers to the Japanese bush warbler or uguisu which is a common songbird in Japan 2 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Construction 3 Examples 4 Modern influences and related topics 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksEtymology editUguisu 鶯 or 鴬 refers to the Japanese bush warbler The latter segment bari 張り comes from haru 張る which can be used to mean to lay board flooring as in the expression yukaita wo haru 床板を張る meaning to board a the floor 3 The verb haru becomes nominalized as hari and voiced through rendaku to become bari In this form it refers to the method of boarding as in other words like herinbōnbari ヘリンボーン張り which refers to flooring laid in a Herringbone pattern As such uguisubari means Warbler boarding Construction edit nbsp Nightingale floors use nails to make a chirping noise under pressureThe floors were made from dried boards Upside down V shaped joints move within the boards when pressure is applied 4 Examples editThe following locations incorporate nightingale floors Nijō Castle Kyoto Chion in Kyoto Eikan dō Zenrin ji Kyoto Daikaku ji KyotoModern influences and related topics editMelody Road in Hokkaido Wakayama and Gunma Singing Road in Anyanag Gyeonggi South Korea Civic Musical Road in Lancaster California Across the Nightingale Floor 2002 novel by Lian HearnNotes edit Mysterious Japan nightingale Floor Kyoto Japan A Z Animals Uguisu under Animals 板を張る English translation Weblio Japan Guide com Nijo Castle under Kyoto Travel Nijo Castle References editA Z Animals Uguisi under Animals 2008 accessed November 3 2012 http a z animals com animals uguisu Bunt Jonathan and Gillian Hall ed Oxford Beginner s Japanese Dictionary New York Oxford University Press 2000 Henshall Kenneth G A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters Vermont Tuttle Publishing Company 1998 Japan guide com Nijo Castle Nihojo under Kyoto Travel Nijo Castle June 11 2012 accessed November 3 2012 http www japan guide com e e3918 html Saiga Jp com Japanese Kanji Dictionary under Japanese Learning March 7 2012 accessed November 4 2012 https web archive org web 20101029180930 http www saiga jp com kanji dictionary html ZenGarden org Nightingale Floor Uguisu bari 鴬張り 2012 accessed September 24 2012 http www zen garden org html page nightingalefloor htm External links editKyoto Travel Nijo Castle Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nightingale floor amp oldid 1173257907, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
