Joya no Kane (New Year's Eve Bell) at Chion-in

Chion-in's New Year's Eve bell starts at 22:20 on 31 December 2026: the temple's bell is one of Japan's three great bells, about 70 tonnes, among the largest in Japan, struck 108 times by 17 priests with a 4-metre beam — one priest holding the main rope and sixteen the smaller ropes, chanting 'ei hitotsu' and 'sore' as the solemn tone echoes across the night-time Higashiyama. Visitors watch only and do not ring; advance application is required, ¥3,000 per person, free for primary-school children and under; numbers at the bell tower may be limited when crowded, and tripods, selfie sticks and drones are not allowed when photographing.