The New Year’s Bell
December 28, 2022
The great bells at Buddhist temples are tolled from before midnight of New Year’s Eve in a ritual called Joya no Kane. While the number varies depending on each Buddhist sect, most temples ring it 108 times; it is said that this is the number of earthly desires and the bells are rung in order to ward off the evil that comes through these desires. At small temples, the priests and monks will be tolling the bell themselves, but some temples, such as Hokoji, Ryotanji, and Kamoeji in Hamamatsu, allow the visitors to participate in the ritual. Those who wish to start the New Year afresh should give it a try!
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