Festival & seasonal event in Kyoto
Myomanji Temple Year-End Bell Ringing
An early evening year-end bell-ringing ceremony held instead of the traditional midnight New Year's Eve ringing. The first 108 participants who make an offering receive an Anchin and Kiyohime bell amulet.
- Dates
- Dec 31 (Thu)
- Hours
- 15:00 – 17:00
- Venue
- Myomanji Temple
- Nearest station
- Iwakura
- Admission
- Check the official website for prices
About this event
Instead of waiting until midnight, visitors can welcome the approaching new year by ringing a temple bell in the afternoon. At Myomanji in Iwakura, the traditional late-night ceremony has been replaced by a year-end bell-ringing event. Participants queue in arrival order and take turns ringing the bell. A special bell-shaped amulet associated with the legend of Anchin and Kiyohime is offered to the first 108 eligible participants who make a donation or offering. The temple's connection with the story of a legendary bell gives the event an added historical dimension. It is an opportunity to experience a Japanese year-end custom without attending a late-night ceremony.
Highlights
- A year-end bell ceremony held in the afternoon
- Visitors can take turns ringing the temple bell
- Special Anchin and Kiyohime bell amulets for eligible participants
- A temple associated with the legend of Anchin and Kiyohime
- Good for
- Families wishing to experience a year-end temple custom without staying out late.
Good to know before you go
- Participants ring the bell in arrival order.
- The special amulets are limited to the first 108 eligible people who make an offering.
- This is an afternoon event rather than a midnight ceremony.
Pochikichi's story cornerWhat connects Myomanji to the legend of Anchin and Kiyohime?
Myomanji is the head temple of the Kenpon Hokke school of Buddhism, located in Iwakura in northern Kyoto. Its grounds include a bell associated with the legend of Anchin and Kiyohime, a Buddhist reliquary pagoda and a garden known as the Snow Garden.
The bell of Anchin and Kiyohime is an important part of the temple's cultural heritage. During the year-end bell-ringing event, a special amulet bearing its name is offered to eligible participants.
The present ceremony is held in the afternoon rather than at midnight, adapting a traditional New Year's Eve custom to a different time of day.
Here, an old legend about a bell and a modern year-end ritual meet in the same temple. So when visiting Myomanji, look beyond the bell-ringing ceremony to the cultural history surrounding the bell of Anchin and Kiyohime.
Sources: Myomanji Official Visitor Information (Japanese), Kyoto City Official Guide: New Year's Eve Bell-Ringing Ceremonies for 2026 (Japanese)
Long ago, around hereWhat was this part of Iwakura like before today?
Myomanji now stands in the Iwakura Hataeda area of northern Kyoto. Its official visitor information introduces the bell of Anchin and Kiyohime, a Buddhist reliquary pagoda and the Snow Garden among the temple's notable features.
Iwakura is part of the Rakuhoku region, away from Kyoto's busiest central districts. At Myomanji, visitors encounter temple architecture, garden culture and Buddhist ceremonies within this northern setting.
The temple continues to hold annual events, including its year-end bell-ringing ceremony. So when walking through Iwakura, look for Myomanji's reliquary pagoda and Snow Garden, which reveal another side of Kyoto's temple heritage.
FAQ
- What is Myomanji Temple Year-End Bell Ringing?
- Instead of waiting until midnight, visitors can welcome the approaching new year by ringing a temple bell in the afternoon. At Myomanji in Iwakura, the traditional late-night ceremony has been replaced by a year-end bell-ringing event. Participants queue in arrival order and take turns ringing the bell. A special bell-shaped amulet associated with the legend of Anchin and Kiyohime is offered to the first 108 eligible participants who make a donation or offering. The temple's connection with the story of a legendary bell gives the event an added historical dimension. It is an opportunity to experience a Japanese year-end custom without attending a late-night ceremony.
- When is Myomanji Temple Year-End Bell Ringing?
- On Dec 31 (Thu), 2026.
- What are the opening hours?
- 15:00 – 17:00
- How much does it cost?
- Check the official website for prices
- Where is it and what is the nearest station?
- Myomanji Temple. The nearest station is Iwakura.
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