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Musical instrument

Shishi-odoshi

The shishi-odoshi is a musical instrument. Listen to 1 recording and learn how it makes its sound.

Listen to the shishi-odoshi

Shishiodoshi-LS100103
0:16Public domainby Fg2Wikimedia Commons
0:16

Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.

From Wikipedia

Shishi-odoshi (鹿威し) (literally, "deer-frightening" or "boar-frightening"), in a wide sense, refers to Japanese devices made to frighten away animals that pose a threat to agriculture, including kakashi (scarecrows), naruko (clappers) and sōzu. In a narrower sense, it is synonymous with sōzu.

A sōzu is a type of water fountain used in Japanese gardens. It consists of a segmented tube, usually of bamboo, pivoted to one side of its balance point. At rest, its heavier end is down and resting against a rock. A trickle of water into the upper end of the tube accumulates and eventually moves the tube's centre of gravity past the pivot, causing the tube to rotate and dump out the water. The heavier end then falls back against the rock, making a sharp sound, and the cycle is repeated.

Frequently asked questions

What does a shishi-odoshi sound like?

Listen to 1 recording on this page.

Sources & credits