In the "Tenarai" volume of Genji-monogatari, Ukifune listens to the sound of "hita" or bird rattles. The sound of bird rattles, a traditional device in waka poetry, is charged with multivalent significance in the story. Apart from signifying the locality of the eastern region, the sound often works as important narrative moments; it tells Ukifune about her man's approach or it gives her the warning of a stranger's intrusion. Moreover it corresponds to her state of mind and its associative power helps her to arouse memories. In this article, I will examine both narrative and acoustic effects brought about by bird rattles.