Japanese Buddhist temples traditionally ring their bells 108 times on New Year's Eve.
This ceremony is called joyanokane. The 108 strikes symbolize the earthly desires or worldly passions that, according to Buddhist tradition, cause human suffering. The final strike is associated with entering the new year purified from those troublesome attachments.
Temple bells are often rung around midnight, although local schedules vary. Some temples allow visitors to participate, while others conduct the ceremony with monks or designated bell ringers. The deep sound of the bell is a familiar part of Japanese New Year broadcasts and religious observances.
The number 108 has several traditional interpretations and is not simply a count of calendar days. Explanations connect it with categories of human desire, sensory experience, and mental disturbance. New Year in Japan is called Shōgatsu, and temple visits are part of the wider period's religious customs.