The shishiodoshi was originally used like a scarecrow in the fields to stop wild animals from eating produce. It is a cut bamboo cylinder that is supported by a fulcrum. As it fills up with water from above, it begins to lean to one side from the weight of the water. When it becomes too heavy, the bamboo bangs down against a stone below it and makes a sound. The shishiodoshi at Kyoto's Shisendo Temple is quite well-known.

Wind chimes are hung outside on balconies and porches, making a pleasant sound as they ring in the breeze. Wind chimes are made of clay, glass, bamboo or iron.