Saturday 19 January 2013

Shishi-odoshi: Japanese Bamboo fountain

As well as wondering what the hell Kotatsu were (here's the previous post: Katatsu: Heating table), I've been desperate to find out what those things were that go clank in Japanese ponds. I first noticed them in Kill bill, it's in about 3:33 into the video.
Shishi-odoshi: The water fills up the Bamboo adding more weight causing it to tilt down and pour out the water. Because the weight of the water is now gone the bamboo tilts back up to the starting position banging the back on a rock making a distinct clank

 They're called Shishi-odoshi which literally means "scare the deer" and they were used, as the name suggests, to scare away animals from Japanese gardens. However now they're used mainly for their aesthetic and antique value. From what I can tell on wikipedia "Shishi-odoshi" is a broader term to refer to different devices used to scare animals and "sozu" is the specific fountain mentioned here, however Shishi-odoshi and sozu can be synonymous. I love the sound these things make so I wouldn't mind getting one when I get my own place someday.


Here be the sources of my information:
Wikipedia: Shishi-odoshi
Attic trunk: sells Shishi-odoshi
Tabletop fountains: fountain store

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