In Japan, what do Buddhist temples ring 108 times on New Year's Eve?

Japanese Buddhist temples ring temple bells 108 times on New Year's Eve.

The custom is called joyanokane. In Buddhist tradition, the 108 strikes symbolize the earthly desires or attachments that trouble human beings. Ringing the bell is understood as a way of leaving those troubles behind while entering the new year.

The bell is generally struck 107 times before midnight and once after midnight, although local practices can differ. Visitors may watch the ceremony or, at some temples, take part in striking the bell under supervision. The sound is especially associated with the transition from 31 December to 1 January.

This custom belongs to Buddhist temples, whereas Shinto shrines have different New Year practices. Many Japanese people visit a shrine or temple for hatsumōde, the first religious visit of the year. The 108 figure is therefore not a count of calendar days or a universal number of bells at every site, but a symbolic Buddhist number applied to the ceremony.