Looking to add some Zen to your backyard, living room or office? A Japanese bamboo water feature is a great way to do that.
These types of water features consist of bamboo or bamboo-like parts with water cascading down different sections. It not only looks good, the sound the water makes is also relaxing.
The best thing about a Japanese bamboo water feature is that you can set it up anywhere, whether by your bedside, in your home office or outside in the garden.
All you need is a sufficiently large bowl, water/pond and a power source.
In this buying guide, we review the best Japanese bamboo water features, give you tips on how to choose the right one and explain how you can install a water feature in less than 10 minutes with no tools.
What To Consider When Choosing a Bamboo Water Feature
a) Design
Bamboo water features come in different designs ranging from a simple single-spout water feature to one with multiple spouts that cascade water down back to the bowl.
The best choice comes down to your tastes and preferences.
b) Real vs. Faux Bamboo
It may look like bamboo but there’s a good chance it’s not real bamboo. Some Japanese water features use faux bamboo made from polymer resin.
The resin is shaped and decorated to resemble real bamboo. You usually can’t tell the difference just by looking.
So, in terms of aesthetics, it doesn’t matter which you go for. Both real and faux bamboo water features have a beautiful rustic look.
However, resin bamboo is more durable and can withstand weather elements better than real bamboo. If you are planning to put the water feature in the garden or backyard, get one with faux bamboo.
For indoor use, you can get a real bamboo water feature.
c) Power Source
Bamboo water features come with a small submersible pump that pushes water in the bowl through tubing into the bamboo and out of the spouts.
The pump needs to be powered.
If you’ll put the water feature indoors, you can get one with a plug. You’ll need to locate the water feature near an outlet.
For outdoor use, get a water feature that’s powered by batteries, solar power or both.
How to Install a Water Feature
It takes 10-20 minutes to install a Japanese bamboo water feature. It’s a DIY project; no need to spend money hiring a pro.
Here are basic setup steps that apply to most water features. Remember to read the instructions that come with your water feature.
- Choose the right location. This will depend on where you want the ‘Zen’, how the water feature is powered (needs to be near an outlet if it uses a plug) and availability of space. Avoid putting it near electronics and anything that can be damaged by water.
- Find a good-looking bowl. Most water features will work with a bowl of any size but it has to be large enough to hold enough water to submerge the pump. Porcelain or ceramic bowls look really nice and make a relaxing sound when water hits them. A steel or iron decorative bowl also works great.
- Assemble the fountain. This may involve attaching parts of the bamboo together and inserting the tubing.
- Place the water feature over the bowl and put the pump in the bowl.
- Add water to the bowl until the pump is completely covered.
- Plug the power cable into an outlet and switch on the power. Observe the water feature to make sure it’s working correctly.
By the way, you don’t have to stop there. You can decorate your setup by adding plants, putting in decorative river rocks or stringing a waterproof LED light strip around it.
Japanese Bamboo Water Feature Reviews
1. Bamboo Accents 10020 Adjustable Bamboo Fountain
What we love most about the Bamboo accents water feature is its simplicity. It’s just a single spout set on a three-arm bamboo frame.
We recommend Bamboo Accents for those who mostly want the relaxing sound of water falling rather than the aesthetics of a water fountain.
Its simplicity makes it super easy to install. It also makes it very versatile – you can set it up on any bowl of any size.
The kit comes with everything you need including the bamboo pieces, tubing, a submersible water pump and a plug for the pump.
If you want to set this up outside, you can substitute the provided pump with a solar-powered pump.
The spout is height-adjustable. You can raise or lower it depending on the kind of bowl you are using and to change the sound effect.
Customers say there is some minor splashing so you’ll need to refill the bowl regularly. To prevent water from splashing on walls and the floor, add some plants around the bowl or add some rocks for the water stream to hit.
What we like about it:
- Easy to set up.
- Compact – can fit on virtually any surface, both inside and outside.
- Adjustable sound effect.
- Affordable.
2. Design Toscano Asian Bamboo Cascading Garden Fountain
If you are looking for an outdoor bamboo water feature for your garden or backyard, we recommend this one by Design Toscano.
It sure looks like bamboo but it isn’t. Instead, the vertical pieces and spouts are cast from crushed stone and then bonded with resin. This makes it impervious to the elements.
The resin is finished to look like real bamboo. The design is so realistic that most people won’t be able to tell it’s not bamboo.
The Toscano fountain consists of three vertical pieces tied together and two spouts. The spout on the highest piece pours water into the middle piece. The spout on this middle piece pours water into the shortest piece.
The cascade of water creates a nice relaxing sound effect. If you don’t want a fountain where water falls into a bowl of water – like the Bamboo Accents one above – The Design Toscano fountain is a good alternative.
The two spouts running results in a more relaxing stream-like sound effect.
To complete the look, the Toscano fountain comes with sparkling LED lights.
The fountain is super easy to set up. It comes with the fountain itself, a low-wattage submersible pump and a long 10m cable that connects to the included solar panel.
What we like about it:
- Ideal for outdoor use – made from stone and resin and is solar-powered.
- Relaxing sound effect.
- Easy to set up.
3. zenggp Bamboo Accents Fountain
This is another good pick if you are looking for a minimalist bamboo water feature. Unlike the single-spout Bamboo Accents fountain, the Zenggp water feature has two spouts, a small one and a larger one.
The Zenggp is available in three sizes: 35cm, 40cm and 50cm. This is the length of the horizontal bamboo pieces.
The right one depends on the size of your bowl and how much space you have.
It takes about 10 minutes to install the fountain. Everything you need is supplied in the kit. This includes an electric submersible pump, tubing and a 2-prong plug.
What we like about it:
- Affordable.
- Easy to set up.
- Relaxing water sounds.
4. GL-Indoor Ceramic fountain
If you want a more eye-catching fountain, we think you’ll love this ceramic and bamboo one by GL-Indoor Fountain.
Unlike other water features, this one comes complete with a ceramic bowl. The bowl is just as ornate as the bamboo setup above it.
The fountain consists of several small troughs of bamboo, arranged like spiral stairs. Water cascades from the top trough, down to each one until it pours into the last trough at the bottom, all the while making a beautiful sound.
After the last piece, the water pours over a flywheel, causing it to spin.
Overall, the ornate design looks and works great. It’s perfect for the living room, office or garden.
Installation is straightforward. All parts, including a plug and pump, are provided in the package.
What we like about it:
- Beautiful and unique.
- Relaxing sound effects.
- Easy to set up.
5. Aqua Creations Solar Powered Water Feature
The Aqua Creations water feature is the most expensive of our picks but it’s the best choice for gardens and other outdoor areas.
It is solar-powered, meaning you don’t need to set it up near an outlet. As long as it receives some sunlight, the pump will work.
When there’s no sunshine, it can also run on the battery backup.
Another reason it’s perfect for your garden is the construction. Instead of bamboo, it’s made with poly-resin and designed to look like real bamboo.
The resin construction makes it much more durable than bamboo, especially when exposed to the elements.
The design itself is low-key with the focus being on sound effects.
It consists of half a dozen vertical bamboo-like pieces tied together. Spouts cascade water from one piece to the next.
Installation is easy. All you need is a good sized bowl and a good spot in your garden.
The fountain measures 88cm to the highest point, so it’s pretty tall. It’ll be easy for guests to spot it among the flowers and shrubs, if not by sight then by the relaxing sounds.
What we like about it:
- Very durable.
- Solar-powered, making it ideal for outdoors.
- Easy to set up.
Is it possible to fix the bamboo accents feature to an existing pond pump?