New Year's Eve

For New Year's Eve, we went to the all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink yakiniku (焼肉), or really, Korean BBQ. And then afterwards, we headed to Chion-in to see the giant bell ring in the New Year. Chionin's temple bell (cast in 1633) is the heaviest in Japan, at 74 tons. It takes 17 monks to ring it at the New Year ceremony.

The entrance to Chionin is through the two-story San-mon (main gate) and then up a steep flight of stairs. Standing at 79 feet (24 meters) tall, this is Japan's largest temple gate. It was built in 1619 and has been designated a Japanese National Treasure.


16 monks plus the one leader on the far right, almost cut out of the picture.