Tokyo Castle Squeaking Floors

The shogun s grandson finally added a five story castle keep or tower the keep is a prominent structure and one of.

Tokyo castle squeaking floors.

Nijo castle called nijojo in japanese was built in 1603 it served as tokugawa ieyasu s residence in kyoto. His grandson iemitsu completed the castle s palace buildings 23 years later and further expanded the castle by adding a five story castle keep. The most famous examples of nightingale floors are found in kyoto exhibit a being the ninomaru palace within nijo castle where the sound of chirping fills the air due to the extensive nightingale floor installation and the number of tourists going through the palace. Covering 1 3 square miles the grounds include hanami cherry blossom viewing spots art galleries historical ruins and beautiful gardens plus a private section reserved for royalty of course.

If you re planning to visit there are organized tours of inner areas. After the tokugawa shogunate fell in 1867 nijo castle was used as an imperial palace for a while before. But in ancient japanese societies especially among royal families squeaky floors were not hated but desired because a floor that screeched and groaned with each step was an effective anti burglar alarm system. If they heard their nightingales singing at a different speed they knew they had an uninvited guest.

Ieyasu was the edo period s first shogun or ruler of the country. The solution is like the floors themselves elegantly simple. Once the site of edo castle the land is now among the most highly valued in japan and is a short walk from tokyo station. Ninomaru palace s nijo castle nightingale floor.

In order to tell friend from foe the lord of the castle or captain of the guards would designate a set rhythm for allies to adhere to when walking on the nightingale floors. 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. Thanks guys the thought of going to nijo castle was more for the squeaky floors than a castle figure everyone must enjoy either trying not to make a noise or the opposite making loads of noise. Nightingale floors 鴬張り or 鶯張り uguisubari listen help info are floors that make a chirping sound when walked upon.

It took 23 years for construction of the castle to be completed. Some japanese castles built during the edo period had these kind of flooring in the hallways. A brief history of nijo castle.