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These floors were cool - as you walked across them they would squeak like a bird.  The idea
was to guard the palace interiors by making walking across the floor impossible.

i want hear one sing
bob
Monday, July 3rd, 2006 at 19:49:18

Goto this website to hear a Nightingale Floor Sing http://www.theotori.com/BookTwo/qna.asp
Andrew
Thursday, July 13th, 2006 at 10:58:47

How do you make a nightingale floor?
Christine
Tuesday, February 6th, 2007 at 05:10:14

Isn't it normal for a wooden floor to squeak if we step on it?
Rio
Monday, October 1st, 2007 at 03:00:57

Wooden floors here squeak sometimes. These floors squeaked (softly) with every step you took. I think our floors squeak because of wood rubbing on nails. In Japan (at this time) much of the building was done without nails. Making a floor that would squeak (intentionally or otherwise) took some doing. John
John Harvey
Monday, October 1st, 2007 at 23:06:07

I've been reading this book, In Darkness, Death. And it talk about these alot I think there cool
shogun
Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 at 14:18:03

I just went there yesterday... one of the people working there told me they built the floors to squeak by putting "cramps" in between the boards and the wooden supports, so there is actually space under the floorboard. You bend it more when you step on it. He gave me a flyer that illustrated it and everything... I don't know what the cramps are made of though, it didn't say.
Andrea
Monday, March 17th, 2008 at 14:47:25

Sorry, that website listed, does not exist. It just leads one on a wild goose chase through several websites and leading back to where you started. Does anyone really know a site where you can hear a Nightengale Floor?
Henry
Wednesday, April 15th, 2009 at 09:02:38

Hi, you can listen a ten seconds audio recording of a nightingale floor on this website : http://www.kippo.or.jp/culture_e/build/archi.htm, I think it's a wonderful feature of these buildings. This website also speak about the way the pagodas resist earthquakes, quite an achievement !!!
Karl
Thursday, May 7th, 2009 at 00:23:02

I loved the book and am anxiously waiting for the next book in the series. Do you have an idea of when it will be published? I look forward to reading more by this author.

Tricia Gaines Pgaines2@cox.net

Tricia Gaines
Sunday, June 14th, 2009 at 11:20:55

I found an example on youtube that was the best example! I thought it was the most beautiful sound i've ever heard. i want one in my house now!!!
Daniel Richards, Jr
Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 11:48:06


Date: Tuesday, April 18th, 2000
Film: Fuji Nexia APS 400 (print)
Lens: 28-70mm f/2.8 ED-IF AF-S Zoom-Nikkor
Tag: Japan, castle, architectural decoration
Larger image: 857 x 1500

John Harvey Photo > Trips out of the Country > A Trip to Japan > North West Kyoto > Nightingale Floor

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