How to Build a Shishi Odoshi Fountain

A Shishi-Odoshi fountain serves many purposes in a person's yard. Shishi-Odoshi is translated in the English language as “deer scarer." This ancient technique actually lives up to its name quite well, keeping unwanted critters away from gardens—some would even say better than repellents of any sort. The Shishi-Odoshi fountain consists of bamboo and one or more standing pieces with a hollowed out pivoting arm piece. When it gets full or too heavy, it tips over and makes a sharp and loud sound, which scares away birds and deer that are grazing in the garden area. If you've been looking for a way to scare away the critters from your garden or yard, here is how you can build a Shishi-Odoshi fountain.

Gather the necessary tools and materials. At its simplest form, a Shishi-Odoshi fountain is quite simple to build. Depending on the size you want and how elaborate you want to make it, you will need between two and five pieces of bamboo. Make sure one of those pieces is rather large and is hollowed out in the centre. You will also need an existing submersed pump of some type to pump the water into the bamboo piece with a clear plastic tube. In addition, you'll need a pot or an area of the ground in which to install the Shishi-Odoshi fountain. To tie everything together you will need raffia, hemp or any other natural type of twine. The only tools you will need are a rubber mallet, a handsaw and a drill with two different sized drill bits.

Cut and drill the bamboo. The smaller bamboo pieces should be about ½ inch in diameter and about 12 to 16 inches long. The larger piece should be about 1 ½ inch in diameter and about 10 to 15 inches long and cut at an angle. You will need to drill a hole on the opposite end of the angled bamboo piece, too.

Install the cross bridges. Once you’ve drilled the hole in the angled bamboo piece, you will need to slide the smaller bamboo piece through the hole you’ve made. This piece should be loose in the spot so the bigger piece of bamboo can tilt back and forth.

Mount the supports and cross bridge. Put several pieces of the smaller bamboo in the ground or pot, depending on what you’ve chosen. Remember that the larger piece of bamboo has to extend over the water for correct usage. Once you’ve done this, attach the cross bridge to the supports. Before tying them together, make sure the bigger piece tilts easily. If everything works correctly, use your twine to attach everything together.

Connect the water pump. Use a thin drill bit and drill out a joint in the bamboo piece. This way the water will flow out smoothly. Once this is done, connect the bamboo to a clear plastic tube which will be connected to the emerged water pump. Make sure to support everything so the water is shooting out correctly.

Test the Shishi-Odoshi fountain. Put the pump in the water so that it is barely covered and plug it in. The water should flow through the tubing smoothly.