SHISHI ODOSHI

(Deer Scarer)

Originally used in the rice fields to scare off deer and small animals, the Shishi Odoshi is now a common addition to the Japanese Garden

Water from a feeding spout flows into a hollow bamboo tube, which tips forward and then drops back onto a sounding stone

The resultant 'clack' scared off the deer

In the garden it gives a feeling of solitude as it breaks the silence

Click picture to enlarge