Kyoto hosts the famous New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony at Chion-in Temple.
Chion-in is the head temple of Japan's Jōdo-shū, or Pure Land, Buddhist tradition. On New Year's Eve, monks and assistants strike its enormous bell 108 times in a ceremony called joyanokane. The bell is struck by a group of people: one person handles the mallet while others help control the timing and position.
The number 108 is traditionally connected with the Buddhist concept of earthly desires or afflictions. Ringing the bell is understood symbolically to help people leave those troubles behind as the new year begins. The ceremony attracts large crowds and is frequently shown in Japanese media.
Kyoto is sometimes confused with Tokyo because Tokyo hosts many major modern countdowns. Chion-in's ceremony, however, is specifically associated with Kyoto and its historic Buddhist temple culture. The temple's present buildings date largely from the Edo period, although the institution's history is older.