A Closer Look at How EPCOT”s Stunning Japanese Gardens are Made
The amazing horticulture team at Walt Disney World is second to none. Everywhere you look you’ll find incredible flower beds, jaw-dropping topiaries and awe-inspiring displays. Never is this more evident than during the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival which runs every Spring and is currently underway until July 5, 2023. If you’ve ever wondered how these beautiful garden displays are crafted then we’ve got a surprise for you. In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’re visiting a shishi-odoshi (pronounced as she-she oh-doe-she) which is a Japanese clacker garden found at the Japan pavilion in EPCOT.
Photo: Disney
Shishi-odoshi translates to “scare deer” and has at it’s center a segment of bamboo tubes, water and rocks. Water fills the segmented bamboo and the device tips and gives a unique thud. This was originally created to scare away deer, boar and other herbivores to stop them from ruining farmers’ crops.
This unique concept was brought to EPCOT two decades ago by Arborist Shoji Kanaoka as a way to bring an authentic feature to the Flower and Garden Festival. Shoji build and introduced this new element which year after year has become a fan favorite! The display has evolved over the year and now includes wooden wind chimes built by Shoji, bells, drums and other items designed to make noise.
The beautiful bamboo you see in these images was even harvested from Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom.
“It’s always been important to me to introduce new elements into the landscape at the Japan pavilion as a way to honor my culture and to introduce guests to other heritages,” Shoji said. Disney is built around community and inclusion – a place where everyone can make a difference, and Shoji has made quite the difference in the Japan pavilion since becoming an opening-year EPCOT cast member.
Throughout his 40-year career, he has worked with Disney Legend and Imagineer Bill Evans, among several other cast members, to bring new and culturally authentic offerings to life. Some of his accomplishments include two Zen gardens and several bonsai trees in addition to smaller shishi-odoshis that can be found year-round in the stream near Katsura Grill at EPCOT.
With retirement on the horizon, Shoji’s leaders thought this was a perfect time for the shishi-odoshi garden to make a triumphant return to EPCOT with Shoji at the lead. Shoji has trained other cast members, like fellow arborists Leon Fevry and Sierra Ruparelia, on how to build and create a shishi-odoshi so that it can continue to be incorporated in the festival and landscapes for years to come.
Shoji even passed on his years of knowledge to horticulture students in Florida during a special visit to the theme park, sharing career advice and 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. This is all part of Disney Future Storytellers, a company initiative designed to empower and inspire the next generation of storytellers and innovators through distinctly Disney experiences.
“Knowing that my legacy will continue to live on in Japan pavilion is very humbling,” Shoji shared. “It’s an honor that my fellow cast members showed interest in carrying on my work, and I can’t wait to see what they accomplish.”
Next time you’re enjoying all World Showcase has to offer, make sure to take in the sights – and the sounds – of the shishi-odoshi. You can find these beautiful gardens near the check-in podium for Takumi-Tei.
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