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New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes

By Muza-chan on Dec 31, 2009 | In Did you know... | 33 feedbacks »

On December 31 at midnight, the New Year is welcomed in Japan with 108 bell chimes, during the Joya no Kane ( 除夜の鐘 ) ritual taking place at the Buddhist Temples.

Japanese Buddhist Bell

Why 108 bell chimes?
108 is a sacred number in many religions and you can enjoy a lot of meanings and coincidences regarding the number 108.
According to Buddhist beliefs, 108 is the number of passions and desires entrapping us in the cycle of suffering and reincarnation. So, the 108 bell chimes symbolize the purification from the 108 delusions and sufferings accumulated in the past year.

While this sounds quite gloomy, the Japanese New Year bell ringing ritual it’s actually an enjoyable experience, and the best place to watch Joya no Kane is the Chion-in Temple in Kyoto.

The bell from the Chion-in Temple, cast in 1633, is the heaviest in Japan (74 tons) and a number of 17 monks are required to ring it properly at the New Year ceremony!

Let’s watch an excellent recording from this event, and… Happy New Year! :D

Chion-in Temple in Kyoto Bell Ringing New Year’s Eve 2008 from Jason Collin on Vimeo.

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 HenryStradford
On Twitter:
Will listen from my window tonight at midnight! > RT @Muzachan: New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 11:40
 appadaumen_de
On Twitter:
#Japan #video - RT: @Muzachan: New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 11:42
 LuciF
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link] - Happy New Year!
12/31/09 @ 11:51
 neurodrive1
On Twitter:
New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes: On December 31 at midnight, the New Year is welcomed in Japan with 108 b.. [link]
12/31/09 @ 11:58
 uberVU - social comments
Social comments and analytics for this post
This post was mentioned on Twitter by Muzachan: New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes http://bit.ly/7NJGYC
12/31/09 @ 12:01
 IH39
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RT @Muzachan: New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 12:01
 ohsweetBloG
On Twitter:
New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 12:41
 reno_yanuar
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RT @Muzachan New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 12:45
 Carmen Henesy · http://rnsane.blogspot.com
That is as nice as the ball dropping from Times Square! Thank you, Muza-chan and a happy new year to you!
12/31/09 @ 12:49
 ciholmer
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 13:04
 KissMeLicia
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RT @Muzachan New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 13:35
 CynthiaChuken
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RT@Muzachan New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 13:36
 amatamari
Thanks for this wonderful post and happy New Year!
:D
12/31/09 @ 13:41
 BlogLinkJapan
On Twitter:
New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes: [link] #JBlogs
12/31/09 @ 13:48
 cragchris
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 14:22
 DeliosUK
On Twitter:
RT @cragchris: RT @Muzachan New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link] // Happy New Year :)
12/31/09 @ 14:29
 HenryStradford
On Twitter:
RT @DeliosUK: RT @cragchris: RT @Muzachan New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link] // Happy New Year :)
12/31/09 @ 14:30
 Chikuwa4649
On Twitter:
New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link] by @Muzachan
12/31/09 @ 14:33
 Claudia · http://fotogrossomodo.blogspot.com/
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
12/31/09 @ 15:36
 IndriAkyol
On Twitter:
@reykai tradisinya gitu, bunyiin lonceng 108 kali. Nih info lengkapnya [link]
12/31/09 @ 17:31
 whipcracker Email
RT @Muzachan: New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes http://bit.ly/7NJGYC A very poetic signal to the new year.
12/31/09 @ 20:33
 nthistlethwaite
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 21:33
 purplehayz
On Twitter:
New year in #Japan - 108 bell chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 21:51
 annaanisin
On Twitter:
RT @purplehayz: New year in #Japan - 108 bell chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 21:51
 L_Hawkins
On Twitter:
RT @purplehayz: New year in #Japan - 108 bell chimes [link]
12/31/09 @ 21:53
 franksan Email
There are also 108 double stitches on a baseball. Coincidence?
01/01/10 @ 02:40
 mrfranksan
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
01/01/10 @ 02:43
 Staci Praske
Thanks for taking me back to Japan this New Years!
01/01/10 @ 03:01
 Caxidroidnigon
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: New Year in Japan - 108 Bell Chimes [link]
01/03/10 @ 16:09
 Matthew 真秀 · http://www.poolofzen.com
108 times huh! Wow I bet that is impressive.

I got to ring one in Himeji at Engyoji Temple... Was a religious experience... (naturally):p

Would love to hear that in person!

Matt
01/04/10 @ 09:53
 mononoke · http://mononoke-kitchen.blogspot.com/
"- In budism instinctele rele se cheama bonno. Sensul este insa mai complicat decat instincte rele. [...] Daca imparti bonno-ul in categorii extrem de detaliate, exista o suta opt feluri. Din motivul asta se trag clopotele de o suta opt ori: pentru ca oamenii care le aud sa fie eliberati de toate tipurile de bonno."
(Ryu Murakami, "In supa miso")

As fi vrut sa fiu acolo.
Multi ani fericiti iti doresc!
01/05/10 @ 14:37
 Yogialb
On Twitter:
New Year in Japan - Joya no kane, 108 Bell Chimes: [link]
01/07/10 @ 09:43
 Giunta · http://whitemaninjapan.blogspot.com
Dude I was there!

Wish that security didn't push people along but it was still rad.

Happy New Year
01/07/10 @ 16:03

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