Japanese Garden Deer Scarer – or Shishi Odishi

March 24, 2012

Shishi Odoshi or Deer Scarer

Shishi Odishi have become a popular artifact in western Japanese gardens. If you are interested in having one in your garden you should choose it for its aesthetic and sound. Keep in mind that this feature alone will not make your garden more Japanese.
Shishi Odishi is an additional garden fountain which is very popular for its unique style and historic beauty. Shishi Odishi almost translates into deer-scarer. Japanese farmers used this design to scare away the deer’s and pets that destroy their crops. It is very famous for its rocking motion of bamboo and clacking sound.
A deer scarer, also known as deer chaser, is made of bamboo stick that is filled with water in its spout at one end whereas the other end is rested on a rock. The bamboo is dynamically balanced in the center with a pivot support. As the water is being filled in the spout of the bamboo and when water reaches a certain level, the bamboo swings letting the water out of its mouth. This back and forth action lets it to make a clacking sound as the pitcher is supported by another piece of bamboo. When the water spills out the pitcher returns back to its position and loudly thwacks the rock the back end rests on. The clacking sound feels very soft and refreshing. But the sound scares the animals. You can use this in your garden and do meditation as it helps you gain concentration.
The bamboo stick has joints that act as pivot. Another bamboo pipe, or spout, above it fills the other with water. These fountains are not perpetual in nature as you need a pump to impel the water from a basin, pond or other type of source. The water is continuously recycled into the bamboo stick with the help of this pump. The process of Shishi Odishi is so mind relaxing as the whole cycle goes over and over.
Shishi Odishi requires some degree of maintenance. The bamboo which continuously hits the rock will start getting cracks after some time. You can reduce this maintenance as there are bamboo pitchers that are made out of resin. Resin coated bamboos do not warp in summer too. Normal bamboo pipes that are seasoned properly they can last for longer periods.
Shishi Odoshi are not complicated and can easily be installed into any Japanese garden project. The time spent to install a Japanese water feature like this is well worth it, considering the antique beauty of the Shishi Odishi, or deer scarer. Pick a good location in your garden, one that will create a nice focal point, or find a spot that visitors will have to discover by following the echo of the clanking sound. I personally like this Japanese water feature to be located in a spot that is very subtle and some what hard to find. Like it is in the picture from a public Japanese Garden. The sound alone will draw people deeper into your garden to discover its location.

If you are interest in our help with your Japanese Garden project, please contact us, Niwa Design Studio, at 952-470-1882.

You can also visit Japanese Garden Journal for more information about Japanese Gardens.

Posted in Asian Gardens, Bamboo, Fountains & Water Features, Garden Types, Japanese Garden Design, Landscape