Photo= A monk bending over backwards to ring the gigantic bell (December 27, Chion-in Temple, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto)

The rehearsal for "Joya no Kane," or the New Year's Eve bell-ringing, took place on December 27, at Chion-in Temple, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto. To produce the beautiful sound on New Year's Eve, monks bent over backwards to strike and ring the roughly 70-ton bell.

The monks took turns striking the bell. When 16 monks pulled the subordinate ropes to swing the bell-hammer, another monk, holding the main rope, almost dangled from it, with shouts of "Ei, Hitotsu" and rang the bell. At each strike, the huge bell, which is one of the largest bells in Japan, subtly vibrated, and a deep bass sound resounded in the clear December air.

Having struck the bell for the first time, one monk in training said, "I felt as if the sound was emitted from my own body. I will devote my heart to making the bell's sound reach as many people as possible also on New Year's Eve." One time, a young monk fell down to the ground due to excessive momentum, eliciting cheers and laughter from the worshipers and audience.

The New Year's Eve bell at Chion-in Temple will ring at approximately one-minute intervals from about 10:40 p.m. on December 31.