In Japan's New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony, Buddhist temple bells are traditionally rung 108 times.
The ceremony is called Joya no Kane and takes place at Buddhist temples on New Year's Eve. The number 108 comes from a Buddhist enumeration of earthly desires or worldly passions that are believed to cause human suffering. Each bell strike symbolically helps people let go of one of these attachments before the new year.
In many temples, the final strikes occur around midnight, although local schedules vary. Large temples may attract crowds who watch the ceremony, pray, or take part in the ringing. The sound of temple bells is therefore one of Japan's characteristic New Year's audio traditions.
The number is sometimes misunderstood as a simple countdown to midnight. It is instead a religious symbol rooted in Buddhist thought. Different Buddhist traditions explain the 108 afflictions in slightly different ways, but the New Year's ceremony consistently connects the number with purification and a fresh start.