It seems to get longer every year, I know, but the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is still “in bloom” at EPCOT, running now through July 5th, 2023. Aside from the ever-increasing amount of food and wine booths at the festival, fans can still enjoy what makes this particular festival so enticing – lush and unique gardens from all around the world!
Today, we got to take a special look at one of these gardens, and you won’t get to see it every year, as is the case with others. It appears only intermittently throughout the history of the festival – a Shishi-odoshi.
Shishi-odoshi translates to “scare deer” and consists of a segmented tube, usually of bamboo, water and rocks. As a slow trickle of water fills the segmented bamboo tube, the device tips and creates a distinct thud, scaring away deer, boar and other herbivores to prevent them from eating crops.
The idea of this garden was presented by Arborist Shoji Kanaoka, who has been with Disney since 1982. About 20 years ago, he pitched the garden as a way to bring a new and authentic feature to the pavilion during the festival.
Shoji built and introduced this new element, which quickly became a favorite for guests and cast alike, if nothing else for the calm and serenity in the hustle and bustle of World Showcase during a festival.
Shoji and his team also incorporated wooden wind chimes – which Shoji built himself – bells, drums and other noise-making items. The bamboo was even harvested from Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom Park. This garden is fun and elaborate, but definitely built specifically for the Festival. A permanent installation of this concept can be found year round near the rear of the pavilion, near the waterfalls of the Katsura Grill seating area.
Shoji is getting ready to retire and leave the gardens he created (including bonsai gardens and two zen gardens) in the pavilion, and leaving them in the great care of other Cast Members that he has trained, including fellow arborist Sierra Ruparelia. Because of this, this is a great year to check out the return of the shishi-odoshi garden, but worry not! Thanks to Sierra and other arborists that were under Shoji’s wing, they can build and create a shishi-odoshi
that can continue to be incorporated in the festival and landscapes for years to come.
Today was extra special as students were on hand for a special visit to EPCOT as part of Disney Future Storytellers, where they received some of Shoji’s knowledge to help with their horticulture endeavors, and a bit of career advice, learning the importance of honoring your culture and heritage to help them dream about their futures, build their talents and become who they imagine they can be.
You can check out the garden in the latest addition to our ever-increasing playlist of lengthy-atmospheric videos, featuring nearly 30 minutes of the Shishi-Odoshi garden below.
You can catch the Shishi-odoshi garden in-person now at the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, taking place at Walt Disney World through July 5th, 2023.
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